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I-694 NON-MOTORIZED CROSSING STUDY PAGE 4 The City of Arden Hills passed a resolution on October 26, 2010 rejecting MnDOT’s final layout for the I-694/TH 51 project with a list of 14 conditions for MnDOT to meet in order to receive municipal consent (Arden Hills Resolution 2010-052). Among the conditions was a request to include a non-motorized/pedestrian facility across I-694 on the west side of TH 51. A municipal consent appeal process was initiated in December of 2010 to resolve these issues between MnDOT and Arden Hills. As an outcome of the municipal consent appeal process, MnDOT agreed to work with the City of Arden Hills and Ramsey County, 1) to improve the pedestrian and bicycle connection across I-694 at Lexington Avenue as part of the larger interchange project and 2) to study unmet pedestrian and bicycle needs in the project area. Both of these conditions were included in the City of Arden Hills 2011 municipal consent agreement for the I-694 / 10 / 51 interchange project. The study was initially designed to focus specifically on the crossings of I-694 between I-35E and I-35W. As the study progressed, discussions with Ramsey County and cities along the corridor indicated a need to expand the study area to also examine east / west connections to the north and south of the Interstate in order to fully understand the pedestrian and bicycle network and needs in the area. The study area was also expanded to include the eastern and western limits of Ramsey County along I-694 at the request of Active Living Ramsey Communities and Ramsey County. This expanded scope of work was significantly above and beyond the initial agreement from the municipal consent appeal process but provided a broader understanding of pedestrian and bicycle networks and key connections in the original study area and beyond. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES This study is not associated with implementation dollars or a specific scoped transportation project that can be used to implement study findings. The study is intended to be a tool to guide future decisions as transportation projects are planned and developed by all units of government within the study area. It can also be used to help local governments prioritize projects for grant applications and capital programs. The study provided information for the Metropolitan Council’s Bicycle System Study, completed in 2014, in close coordination with MnDOT. It also informed the recently drafted Ramsey Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Finally, the I-694 study will serve as a model for other parts of the region where Interstates and other arterial corridors create challenges for pedestrian and bicycle access. STUDY PROCESS The I-694 Non Motorized Crossing Study was kicked off in May of 2012 with an initial group of study partners that represented the cities within the initial study area as well as Ramsey County and the Metropolitan Council. As the study area boundaries grew, new cities were added to the agency work group. MnDOT staff led the overall effort with guidance from study partners. Key work tasks included: • Data collection and GIS mapping of existing and proposed pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure within the study area • Analysis of local comprehensive plans, policies, and other studies related to pedestrian and bicycle mobility • One public meeting to get input on pedestrian and bicycle destinations, needs, and barriers within the