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� <br />' EN HILLS' <br />MEMORANDUM <br />DATE: November 30, 2009 <br />TO: Honorable Mayar and City Council Me�nbers <br />Ron Moorse, City Adrninistrator <br />FROM: Kristine Giga, Civil Engineer <br />Michelle Olson, Parks and Recreation Manager <br />SUB�TECT: Resoluiion Requesting Design Variance for CP RaiI Undexpass Trail <br />Back�round/Discussion <br />At the October Wark Session, the City Council received an update on the CP Rail Trail <br />Underpass Project. Bolton & Menk, Tnc. reviewed the underpass design that has been <br />cornpleted to date. One aspeci of th� design that was discussed with Council was the <br />width af the trail compared to the widt� available between the bridge abutment and the <br />proposed retaining wa11. The proposed trail width is eight feet. Mn/DOT design <br />standards require a two-�'oat clear zone on either side of a trail, which would require a <br />total width of iwelve (12) feet under the bridge. Hovvever, there will only be an eight (8) <br />foot space between the proposed reiaining wa11 and bridge abutrnent. Therefore, the <br />available spacing inhibits the construction of 2 foot shouldez-/clear zones on each side of <br />ihe trai�. <br />The City Council has indicated that a possible source of fixnding for i�li5 project is <br />Municipal State Aid Funds. In order to utilize ihese funds, rninimu�n design standards <br />must be met, ar a design variance must be granted. Boltan axid Menk, Inc. contacted <br />Mn/DOT State Aid, and confirmed that a design variance would be needed %r the <br />narrower clear zone undez the bridge. The Variance Committee meeis on a quarterly <br />basis; the next rneeting is December 17, 2009. Variaz�zce requests must be submitted by <br />December 1, 2009. <br />Siaff understands thai the funding sources for the CP Rail underpass have nat been <br />finalized aaxd thai the project may be fiu�ded with sources oiher than State Aid. However, <br />staff recommends applying for the design variance at this time, in the event that State Aid <br />funds are used, to keep the pzoject schedule moving iarwazd. Receiving a variance from <br />State Aid daes not bind the City to using Stat� Aid funds on this project. <br />City Council Meeting <br />11Met�ro-inet.uslardenhi11s1PR&FW1EngineerrnglCouncil_Actions12009111-30- <br />09Memo C�Rail Variance.doc <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />