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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL WORK SESSION – APRIL 28, 2014 2 <br /> <br />Beth Engum, Ramsey County, discussed the proposed interchange design for the intersection of <br />County Road 96 and I-35W with the Council. She noted that this was the last segment of Highway <br />96 that required reconstruction. The diverging diamond design and proposed goals for the <br />intersection were reviewed. She played a short video that displayed the DDI configuration and <br />requested comment from the Council. She reported that St. Cloud and Bloomington had a DDI <br />intersection. She described how the project would be cost shared between the City, County and <br />State. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant questioned if this would be a MnDOT project or a Ramsey County project. <br /> <br />Ms. Engum reported that this would be a County led project. She discussed the memorandum of <br />understanding that the County had drafted with MnDOT. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant believed that the DDI configuration would be strange and would take some time <br />for the public to become familiar with. <br /> <br />Councilmember McClung requested further information on how pedestrians could pass through <br />this intersection. <br /> <br />Ms. Engum reviewed how traffic and pedestrians would flow through the intersection. She noted <br />that the County has considered posting “no right on red” signs for pedestrian safety reasons. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden questioned if the proposed DDI was safer than the typical interchange. <br /> <br />Ms. Engum indicated that the County did have statistics that showed that the DDI design was the <br />safer option. She further reviewed the benefits of the proposed intersection, noting that there were <br />fewer contact points. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant asked if the DDI would take longer to build. <br /> <br />Ms. Engum described how the construction would be completed. She noted that the bridge <br />would not be closed throughout most of the construction, but there will be a need for some short <br />term closures. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden expressed concern with how long this road construction project would <br />take; stating it would greatly impact Arden Hills’ residents. She questioned when this work <br />would be completed. <br /> <br />Ms. Engum noted that this project was scheduled for 2015 along with the County Road F (Lake <br />Valentine Road and County Road E projects). She reported that she could investigate the timing <br />of the projects further, but explained that the County wanted to have these projects done before <br />development began on TCAAP. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden feared that by having both of these projects worked on at the same year <br />the residents of Arden Hills would be extremely impacted by traffic delays. <br /> <br />Discussion took place regarding a City detour route map.