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<br />City of Arden Hills <br />May 7, 2008 <br />Page 2 of3 <br />Early in the process, very little emphasis was placed on the written documentation of transportation needs <br />or environment, social, or economic impacts. The National Environmental Protection Act (NEP A) of <br />1969 introduced the emphasis on environmental concerns and is intended to expose the conflicting issues <br />associated with mobility and environment. The Highway Project Development process now works to <br />reconcile these issues in an objective and cost-effective manner. The balancing of community concerns <br />and environmental values with traditional engineering requirements is the basis in this process. The <br />following schematic, provided to the City Council previously by S.E.H., summarizes the four primary <br />phases of the Highway Project Development Process. The narrative following the schematic provides <br />further explanation. <br /> <br />Planning Phase <br /> <br /> <br />(8-10 Months) <br />-. Preliminary Design Phase <br /> <br />(16 -18 Months) <br />Final Design and <br />. Right-ot-Way Acquisition <br /> <br />Bidding and <br />.. Construction <br /> <br />Establish Project <br />Purpose and Need <br /> <br />. Resolve Neighborhood Issues <br /> <br />. Prepare Final Construction Limits <br /> <br />. Refine Preliminary Design <br /> <br />. Relocate Homeowners/Businesses <br /> <br />. Conduct Impact Assessment for <br />Refined Design and No-Build <br /> <br />. Prepare Final Construction Plans <br /> <br />Develop Concepts <br /> <br />. Acquire Remaining Required Prop~ <br /> <br />Choose Preferred <br />Concept <br /> <br />. Prepare State/Federal <br />Environmental Assessment <br />- Conduct Noise Analysis <br />- Delineate Wetlands <br />- Prepare Relocation Plan for <br />Affected Homeowners <br />".. - Analyze other Social, <br />" Environmental. and <br />Economic Impacts <br /> <br />. Develop Construction Staging Plan <br /> <br />. Obtain Construction Permits <br /> <br />From July 27, 2007 Memo to Michelle Wolfe from Mad< Benson, Short BUoll Hendrickson Inc. <br /> <br />The TH I O/County Highway 96 proj ect is in the Planning Phase of the process. The purpose and need <br />for the proj ect is established, concepts are developed and evaluated, and potential impacts are identified. <br />MnlDOT and Ramsey County have identified a preferred concept and are requesting concurrence from <br />the City of Arden Hills to move the preferred concept into the next phase of the process. The purpose of <br />the planning phase is to establish "Why" the project is being proposed <br /> <br />The Preliminary Design Phase of the process will refme and further investigate the preferred concept and <br />its potential impacts. It will take approximately 8 to 10 months to work through this phase. During this <br />phase, the highway design will better define features such as turn lane needs, median and shoulder widths, <br />and traiVpedestrian accommodations while balancing impacts to adjacent properties, sensitive <br />environmental areas, and project costs. A formal environmental review document will be prepared. The <br />City of Arden Hills will remain directly involved in this phase of the process by providing input on design <br />and project impact related decisions. In addition to the public hearings required during this phase, a <br />participatory process will engage public input, provide educational opportunities, and present <br />recommendations at critical points in the process. City staff will also be invited to attend and provide <br /> <br />II <br />