1A Funding for Design Work on Option for Addressing Traffic Movement Issues

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MEMORANDUM DATE: Agenda Item 1.A March 24, 2009 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Ron Moorse, City Administrator SUBJECT: Funding for Design Work on Options for Addressing Traffic Movement Issues related to the Relationship Between the CR H and CR I interchanges Background As part of the design process for the CR H/I35W interchange, the current and projected traffic congestion on I35W is projected to cause congestion issues related to the weaving movements that occur between the traffic entering onto northbound I35W from the CR H interchange , and the traffic exiting from northbound I35W at the CR I interchange. These congestion issues need to be resolved to obtain design approval from both Mn/DOT and the Federal Highway Administration, and to provide an opportunity to obtain interchange funding from Mn/DOT. Review of Options While Mn/DOT’s proposed solution to the congestion issues is to close the exit from northbound I35W to CR I, this is an important movement for City of Shoreview residents and the City of Shoreview. In a meeting between Mn/DOT, the Cities of Shoreview and Arden Hills, and Mark Benson, Ryan’s traffic engineer, two additional solution options were identified. I have attached a letter from Mark Benson to Mn/DOT describing the options and setting out a Scope of Services for the review of the options. I have also attached the concept plans for each of the options. As the scope of services indicates, the review of the options has a cost of $50,000. Mn/DOT has agreed to provide $25,000 of funding, if there is a local match of $25,000. Ryan has agreed to fund the cost of developing the concept plans, which is about $5,000. This leaves approximately $20,000 of the local match to be funded. Based on the funding offered by Mn/DOT, and the partial funding of the local match by Ryan, it is recommended that the City provide the remaining $20,000 of funding. The City’s contribution could be reimbursed from the proceeds of future Federal or State funding for the project design.