7B, CP Rail Bridge Improvement Options

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- - [ft.BILL~ MEMORANDUM DATE: May 7, 2009 TO: Mayor and City Council Ron Moorse, City Administrator Michelle Olson, Parks and Recreation Manager <((l~ Kristine Giga, Civil Engineer J!.Itr FROM: SUBJECT: CP Rail bridge improvements BACKGROUND At the January 20, 2009 work session, the City Council directed staff to discuss the CP Rail bridge (located on Old Snelling) with the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee (PTRC) in order to develop a recommendation for which side to build the proposed pedestrian bridge improvements. The PTRC had this discussion on February 24, 2009 and made a motion to recommend that Council construct the pedestrian improvements to the bridge on the west side. At the March 9, 2009 regular Council Meeting; the Council concurred with the PTRC and directed Bolton and Menk to proceed with design and specifications for pedestrian improvements to the CP Rail Bridge on the west side. At that meeting, Council discussed future trail options leading to and from the bridge. Council directed staff to speak with Ramsey County regarding options for a bike lane and also bring the discussion back to the PTRC for further analysis and recommendation. DISCUSSION Staff met with Ken Haider from Ramsey County Public Works in March to discuss two options for a future bike/pedestrian facility on Old Snelling: 1. Would it be possible to restripe the road and shift more shoulder to the west side in order to have more space to possibly avoid wetland impacts identified on the west side, most notably the boardwalk? 2. Would the County be in favor of allowing the City to widen/pave the shoulders to include a bike lane on one or both sides of Old Snelling? Ramsey County Public Works is open to the possibility of either of the above options. However, typically restriping and/or extension of shoulders would take place at the same time as a \ \Metro-inet. us\ardenhills\PR&PW\Parks\Memos\Council Memos\0511 09 CPRail_ Trail options.doc