2019-11-06 TC Minutes
Richfield Transportation Commission Attachment #1
November 6th, 2019 - Meeting Minutes
7:00 p.m. | Richfield Municipal Center – Bartholomew Room
Commission members: Wes Dunser (chair), Ted Weidenbach, Gerry Charnitz, Jeffrey Walz,
Paul Chillman, Ken Severson, Dan Edgerton, Husniyah Bradley,
Commission members not in attendance: n/a
Liaisons: Sarah Musgrave, Sean Hayford Oleary, Mary Supple, Art Felgate
Liaisons not in attendance: n/a
City Staff Liaison: Jack Broz
Other City Staff: Logan Vlasaty
I. Call meeting to Order
Commissioner Dunser called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
II. Approval of Agenda
Motion by Commissioner Severson to approve the agenda, s/Weidenbach. Motion carried.
III. Review & Approve minutes for September 11th, 2019 meeting
Motion made by Commissioner Charnitz to approve the September 11, 2019 meeting
minutes, s/Walz. Motion carried.
IV. I-494 Discussion
Broz presented the history of the I-494 corridor and the long term vision of I-494 and the
parallel arterial streets— Bloomington’s American Blvd and Richfield’s 77th/76th Streets.
The commission and liaisons noted how much Richfield has invested in the 494 corridor
vision such as with the Penn and Lyndale bridges as well as 77th St. Construction. MnDOT
provided a summary of crash rates and congestion for segments and intersections along
494. Westbound between Highways 77 and 35W has many segments exceeding the
critical crash rate as well as a high concentration of severe crashes. Eastbound crash rates
increase as approaching interchanges and decrease downstream of the interchanges.
MnDOT recommends a MnPASS lane as their analysis shows that a MnPASS option has the
best decrease in travel time delay and increase in reliability, as well as a public transit
advantage. The commission discussed the advantages and disadvantages of general
purpose versus MnPASS lane options.
MnDOT gave a summary of the access reconfiguration analysis process, similar to what
has been shown before which includes the elimination of I-494 access at 12th and Nicollet,
assuming the 77th St. Underpass moves forward.
Motion by Commissioner Bradley to vote on a recommendation to council for support of I-
494 main line (MnPASS lane option), s/Chillman. Motion carried.
Motion by Commissioner Weidenbach to vote on recommendation to council for support of
I-494 access change at 12th, Nicollet, Portland and 77th St. Underpass, s/Edgerton. Motion
carried.
Motion by Commissioner Dunser that the Commission recommends to council that 77th St.
Underpass be constructed before the I-494 project.
V. Updates
Vlasaty gave an update on the progress of the Lyndale Ave reconstruction, which is
expected to be open to thru-traffic by mid-November.
VI. Work Plan Review/Next Steps
Portland Bicycle gap project (60th-67th St)
Penn Corridor Study
Safe Routes to School Grant
VII. Upcoming events/meeting(s)
Penn Corridor Study Open House; Thursday, November 14th, 2019 from 4-7 P.M. at
Sheridan Hills Elementary School
Next scheduled Commission meeting: December 4th, 2019
VIII. Adjournment
Motion made by Commissioner Walz to adjourn meeting, s/Weidenbach. Motion carried.
Adjourned at 9:44 pm.