2021-09-01 TC Minutes
Richfield Transportation Commission Attachment #1
September 1, 2021 - Meeting Minutes
7:00 p.m. | Bartholomew Room
Commission members: Wes Dunser (Chair), David Gepner, Ken Severson, Jeffrey Walz, Louis
Dzierzak, Mollie O’Howard
Commission members not in attendance: Husniyah Bradley, Dan Edgerton, Kyle Schmidt
Liaisons: Councilmember Sean Hayford Oleary
Liaisons not in attendance: Kevin Wendt, Jan Matheus
City Staff Liaison/Staff: Scott Kulzer, Joe Powers, Kristin Asher
I. Call meeting to order
Chair Dunser called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
II. Approval of Agenda
Motion by Commissioner Gepner to approve the agenda. Seconded by Commissioner Walz.
Motion carried.
III. Review & Approve Minutes for March 3rd, 2021 Meeting
Motion by Commissioner Severson to approve the August 11, 2021 meeting minutes.
Seconded by Commissioner Dzierzak. Motion carried.
IV. I494: Airport to Highway 169 Discussion
At the August 11th, 2021 Transportation Commission meeting, the TC requested a joint
meeting with City Council to discuss concerns about the Minnesota Department of
Transportation's plans for the I-494 and Penn Avenue Interchange as related to the I-494:
Airport to 169 Project. On Tuesday, August 24th the City Council considered the request for
a joint meeting. After discussion, the City Council voted unanimously to table the request
until the Commission had a chance to further discuss the matter and address some of the
City Council’s questions
City staff revisited MnDOT’s reasoning and logic behind the Penn Ave access changes with
the commission, and its relation to the larger project and overall Vision for 494 adopted in
early 2021. Staff reviewed the project’s goals with particular focus on the top two stated
goals (address traffic congestion and improve safety) and examined the proposed changes
to Penn Ave/494 in that context. Following questions and discussion among the
Commissioners, the TC decided not to move forward with their request for a formal
meeting with City Council on the matter.
V. Project Updates
• 77th St Underpass. City Engineer Powers briefly updated the Commission on the
77th Underpass project. A lot of the work this fall was centered around site grading
and the installation of sanitary sewer and stormwater infrastructure. Later in the
fall, perhaps over winter, the contractor would be constructing a temporary bridge
that would allow Highway 77 traffic to be diverted while the work is done directly
beneath bits of the existing Highway 77. Powers suggested Commissioners stay
tuned into the Sweet Streets website or the City’s Facebook site for more timely
updates.
• Bus Rapid Transit. City Engineer Powers provided updates on Metro Transit’s
Orange Line and D Line Bus Rapid Transit construction. The Orange Line stations at
Knox and 76th and the transitway/tunnel under 494 are nearly complete and the
whole route should be in operation by the end of the year. The D line BRT station
bases are complete and the actual structures are expected to be installed in Spring
2022.
• Portland Bike Gap. City Engineer Powers noted the Portland Ave Bike Gap/Mill was
expected to be complete by the end of October 2021.
• Penn Ave. City Engineer Powers stated that the mill and overlay of Penn Avenue is
still expected to occur in September.
VI. Work Plan Review/Next Steps
• 65th St Final Design. City Engineer Powers noted that the 65th Street
Reconstruction project final design is progressing as planned and we are still on
target for a Spring 2022 groundbreaking.
VII. Upcoming events/meeting(s)
The next regularly scheduled Transportation Commission meeting is scheduled for October
6, 2021.
VIII. Adjournment
Motion made by Commissioner Dunser to adjourn meeting. Adjourned at 8:27 pm.