2020-01-08 TC Minutes
Richfield Transportation Commission Attachment #1
January 8th, 2020 - Meeting Minutes
7:00 p.m. | Richfield Municipal Center – Bartholomew Room
Commission members: Wes Dunser (chair), Ted Weidenbach, Paul Chillman, Ken Severson,
Dan Edgerton, Jeffrey Walz, Husniyah Bradley
Commission members not in attendance: Gerry Charnitz
Liaisons: Sean Hayford Oleary, Mary Supple
Liaisons not in attendance: Sarah Musgrave, Art Felgate
City Staff Liaison: Jack Broz
Other City Staff: Joe Powers, Scott Kulzer
I. Call meeting to Order
Commissioner Dunser called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm.
II. Approval of Agenda
Motion by Commissioner Weidenbach to approve the agenda, s/Severson. Motion carried.
III. Review & Approve minutes for December 4th, 2019 meeting
Commissioner Edgerton and Commissioner Bradley requested two technical amendments
to the minutes. Motion made by Commissioner Chillman to approve the amended
December 4th, 2019 meeting minutes, s/Weidenbach. Motion carried.
IV. I-494/I-35W Interchange Vision & History
Staff Liaison/Richfield Transportation Engineer Jack Broz presented the I-494/I-35W
Interchange Vision & History. Broz detailed MnDOT’s three-phase process as it relates to
the I-494 corridor “Vision” and the future actual funded I-494 corridor projects. Broz
noted how we are presently at the mid-point of phase two, evaluating the I-494/I-35W
interchange alternatives. Broz presented the “base” and “full” interchange alternatives.
The “base” alternative would not change the cloverleaf interchange but would add a
MnPass lane in each direction on 494. The “full” alternative would redesign the
interchange into a “turbine” model with a MnPass lane in each direction and would restrict
access in certain directions. Broz then went on to highlight the various criteria the MnDOT
used to evaluate each alternative.
Following Broz’ presentation the commissioners shared their comments and thoughts on
the interchange alternatives. Commissioner Weidenbach noted that the “full” alternative
seemed like it would increase traffic on the local streets. Broz agreed that would be the
case to an extent and reminded the commission MnDOT is evaluating this from the
perspective of fixing the I-494/35W interchange. Commissioner Edgerton mentioned his
concern about this alternative helping regional traffic users/the interchange at the
expense of local traffic users and surrounding businesses and employers in “the Box”.
Commissioner Walz raised concerns with environmental impacts and said it seemed like
the “full” alternative meant more cars on local streets sitting at stoplights idling and
polluting in Richfield and Bloomington. Commissioner Bradley questioned the merits of a
MNpass lane altogether suggesting it makes congestion worse for most while benefitting
the few. Commissioner Weidenbach asked how Best Buy feels about this proposal as it
would make access to their site more difficult. Commissioner Severson raised concerns
with the design and provided some suggestions he thought could improve its impact to the
local traffic in “the Box” and also noted his concern that the local traffic impacts would
stretch beyond “the Box” onto other critical streets in Richfield and Bloomington as people
work to avoid that area. Chair Dunser expressed general frustration with both this “full”
design alternative and the MnDOT process as a whole related to this project.
Broz noted the I-494 Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) would be voting to move forward
with one of the interchange alternatives at its February 2020 meeting (date TBD). Mayor
Regan Gonzalez and Councilmember Trautmann are voting members on the PAC. Broz
stated staff would draft up the comments expressed and would be providing them to
MnDOT and the City Council at the forthcoming January 14th I-494 Work Session.
V. Portland Ave Bike Gap & Roundabout Restripe
Broz provided the commission an update on the Hennepin County proposal to modify the
lanes with striping at the Roundabout at 66th Street and Portland Avenue. The changes
are intended to improve safety for pedestrians and vehicles by reducing the number of
lanes in the roundabout with their mill and overlay project. The southbound lanes on
Portland will remain unchanged from their present layout. The other three legs will still
have two lanes entering the roundabout, except the right lane can only turn right, and the
inside lane will be for straight or left vehicle movement. The project will also convert
Portland from 4-lanes to 3-lanes from 67th Street to Highway 62. Hennepin County is
anticipating construction to begin later in 2020 and will be completed in 2021.
VI. Updates
Broz gave a brief update on the Lyndale project. Chair Dunser asked what staff has been
hearing regarding Lyndale now that it has been open for a while. Broz and Kulzer stated it
has been surprising quiet lately now that people seem to have experienced the new road
layout and had time to interact with it.
Broz shared that the grant funded Safe Routes to School coordinator was getting settled in
the new role, pursuing other grant opportunities for the City and to expect more on this in
the future.
VII. Thank you to outgoing commissioners!
Commissioners were thanked for their service. Those with terms expiring were going to
reapply and were expected to be reappointed.
VIII. Upcoming events/meeting(s)
The next scheduled commission meeting is February 5th, 2020.
IX. Adjournment
Motion made by Chair Dunser to adjourn meeting, s/Walz. Motion carried. Adjourned at
8:45 pm.