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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7A, Update on 694, 10, and 96 ~ ~HILLS Request for Council Action . Prepared By: Kristine Giga Council Meeting Date: May 12, 2008 Update on Items related to the Interstate 694, Highway 10 and County Road 96 Preliminary Design Issues and Position Paper- Ramsey County Response Budgeted Amount: NIA Actual Amount: N/A Funding Source: N/A Recommendation: Accept letter from Ramsey County Chris Chromy will be present at the meeting for this discussion. Supporting Documents: 1. Letter dated May 7, 2008 from Ramsey County Public Works Director Ken Haider 2. Memorandum dated May 7, 2008 from Chris Chromy and Dale Maul, Bolton & Menk, regarding the Highway Project Development Process and Status of TH1 0/CR96 Project - ~ RAMSEY COUNTY Department of Public Works Kenneth G. Haider, P.E., Director and County Engineer HECE~VE " '-'GIDi) i: ! LV U 1425 Paul Kirkwold Drive Arden Hills, MN 55112-3933' (651) 266-7100. Fax (651) 266-7110 E-mail: Public.Works@co.ramsey.mn.us Greg Hoag Public Works Director 1245 W. Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112 Dear Mr. Hoag: Ramsey County has received Federal funding for the final phase of the reconstruction project of CSAH 96, which includes the grade separation of the TH 10lCSAH 96 intersection. This project will be completed by 2011-2012 to utilize these funds. In June 2008, Ramsey County will begin preliminary design and a formal environmental review to identify and evaluate the project's design components and impacts on the surrounding natural and built environment. With any project of this magnitude, a particular emphasis will be placed on balancing project impacts, technical feasibility, constructability, and project costs. We understand the City of Arden Hills has concerns over the potential impacts from this project, as well as suggestions relative to specific design components. Beginning in June, we will be evaluating these and many other competing interests related to the grade separation project. We plan to have the preliminary design and environmental review complete by early 2009. At that time, a colored layout illustrating specific design components and construction impacts will be presented to the City Council along with a request for Municipal Consent to proceed with the project. The County's grade separation project and the City's local access interchange project should be coordinated. City staff will be invited to attend and provide input on their project's progress during the County's design and environmental process. It is our hope that the two projects will be compatible and will be implemented on a coordinated schedule. A public participation process will also occur through the preliminary design phase to engage public input, provide educational opportunities, and present recommendations. The TH I OICSAH 96 grade separation is a high priority safety and capacity project for Ramsey County and its regional transportation partners. With construction scheduled for 2010, continued progress is imperative. We look forward to working with the City of Arden Hills on this important public safety project. Sincerely, <::~ -- J. ----. i ~.- ~ Ken Haider Public Works Director Minnesota's First Home Rule County printed on recycled paper with a minimum of 10% post-consumer content ~ ~ SOLTON &. IVIENK, Consulting Engineers & Surveyors 12224 Nicollet Avenue. Burnsville, MN 55337-1649 Phone (952) 890.0509. FAX (952) 890-8065 INC. MEMORANDUM Date: May 7, 2008 From: To: Kristine Giga, P.E. - Civil Engineer Greg Hoag - Public Works Director City of Arden Hills Christopher S. Chromy, P.E., P.T.O.E. ~ Dale Maul, M.S., Transportation Planner Bolton & Menk, Inc. ~ ! ! ! t RE: Highway Project Development Process Status ofTH 10/County Highway 96 Project BMI Project No. T42.22335 The TH 10/CSAH 96 grade separation project is about to begin its next phase of planning and design. Ramsey County has indicated that they need to move forward with preliminary design and formal environmental review in June 2008 to meet the constraints associated with the federal funding. We understand the city staff and council have been included in many discussions and meetings regarding this and other regional transportation improvements for the past several years. We have provided this sunnnary of the Highway Project Development Process to better prepare the City for the upcoming project decisions. Along with the County's project, the City will need to follow a similar process for the Local Access interchange on TH 10. Highway projects often become controversial due to their potential impact of people's lives and far- reaching affects. Highway projects have the potential to greatly affect (both positively and negatively) many stakeholders. These include highway users (movement of people, product, and services), adjacent residents, business owners, as well as the natural and built environment. The Highway Project Development Process is used to move highway projects from an idea to reality while minimizing and balancing impacts and achieving the necessary transportation improvement. The purpose and need ofthe TH lO/County Highway 96 project is to improve highway safety and accommodate growing traffic levels.. Ramsey County and Mn/DOT, the jurisdictions' responsible for these roadways, have concluded the existing at-grade, signalized intersection should be removed and replaced with grade separation. At this point, the City is being asked for general concurrence with the purpose and need for the proj ect and will be asked to endorse a preferred concept so that further design analysis can be completed. Highway Proiect Development Process The Highway Project Development Process has evolved over the past 60-80 years. With the construction of the Interstate System beginning in the 1950's, increased priorities were placed on safety and mobility. . f I t I . J j MANKATO, MN . FAIRMONT, MN . SLEEPY EYE, MN . BURNSVILLE. MN'. CHASKA MN WILLMAR. MN . RAMSEY, MN . AMES, IA www.bolton~menk.com An Equal Opportunity Employer City of Arden Hills May 7, 2008 Page 2 of3 Early in the process, very little emphasis was placed on the written documentation of transportation needs or environment, social, or economic impacts. The National Environmental Protection Act (NEP A) of 1969 introduced the emphasis on environmental concerns and is intended to expose the conflicting issues associated with mobility and environment. The Highway Project Development process now works to reconcile these issues in an objective and cost-effective manner. The balancing of community concerns and environmental values with traditional engineering requirements is the basis in this process. The following schematic, provided to the City Council previously by S.E.H., summarizes the four primary phases of the Highway Project Development Process. The narrative following the schematic provides further explanation. Planning Phase (8-10 Months) -. Preliminary Design Phase (16 -18 Months) Final Design and . Right-ot-Way Acquisition Bidding and .. Construction Establish Project Purpose and Need . Resolve Neighborhood Issues . Prepare Final Construction Limits . Refine Preliminary Design . Relocate Homeowners/Businesses . Conduct Impact Assessment for Refined Design and No-Build . Prepare Final Construction Plans Develop Concepts . Acquire Remaining Required Prop~ Choose Preferred Concept . Prepare State/Federal Environmental Assessment - Conduct Noise Analysis - Delineate Wetlands - Prepare Relocation Plan for Affected Homeowners ".. - Analyze other Social, " Environmental. and Economic Impacts . Develop Construction Staging Plan . Obtain Construction Permits From July 27, 2007 Memo to Michelle Wolfe from Mad< Benson, Short BUoll Hendrickson Inc. The TH I O/County Highway 96 proj ect is in the Planning Phase of the process. The purpose and need for the proj ect is established, concepts are developed and evaluated, and potential impacts are identified. MnlDOT and Ramsey County have identified a preferred concept and are requesting concurrence from the City of Arden Hills to move the preferred concept into the next phase of the process. The purpose of the planning phase is to establish "Why" the project is being proposed The Preliminary Design Phase of the process will refme and further investigate the preferred concept and its potential impacts. It will take approximately 8 to 10 months to work through this phase. During this phase, the highway design will better define features such as turn lane needs, median and shoulder widths, and traiVpedestrian accommodations while balancing impacts to adjacent properties, sensitive environmental areas, and project costs. A formal environmental review document will be prepared. The City of Arden Hills will remain directly involved in this phase of the process by providing input on design and project impact related decisions. In addition to the public hearings required during this phase, a participatory process will engage public input, provide educational opportunities, and present recommendations at critical points in the process. City staff will also be invited to attend and provide II City of Arden Hills May 7, 2008 Page 3 of3 input at design meetings with Ramsey County and MnlDOT. A Geometric Layout will be prepared to illustrate roadway improvement components, access locations, and construction limits. Prior to completing this phase of the process, Municipal Consent will be requested from the City of Arden Hills, consistent with MN Statute 161. The purpose of the preliminary design phase is to establish "What" the project will include. The Final Design Phase of the process focuses on the design of specific elements of the highway improvement. It will take approximately 16 to 18 months to work through this phase. During this phase, detailed construction plans and specifications for pavement, storm sewer, roadway signing and striping, and other functional components are prepared and compile to establish bid documents. In addition, all property acquisition, private utility coordination, and pennitting is addressed in this phase of the process. The City of Arden Hills will remain involved in this phase of the process by providing input on specific design decisions and construction scheduling. City staff will be invited to attend design meetings with Ramsey County and MnlDOT. Prior to completing this phase of the process, construction plans will be prepared and approved by each jurisdictional agency. If the project includes modifications to city infrastructure, the City of Arden Hills will be asked to approve the construction plans and a cost- participation agreement. The purpose of the final design phase is to establish "How" the project will be built. The Construction Phase of the process includes the execution of construction activity and work as identified in the construction plan. The City of Arden Hills will continue to be involved in this phase through project updates and construction meetings. The purpose of the construction phase is to administer a contractor to complete the work as designed. Conc1nsionslRecommendations The City of Arden Hills has an important role throughout the Highway Project Development Process for the TII IO/County Highway 96. While Ramsey County will be the lead agency for the project, the City's and Mn/DOT's input and approval will be sought during various phases of the process. Timely action by the City of Arden Hills will better enable progress and ensure the purpose and need for the project is achieved while minimizing social, environmental, economic impacts. At this point in the process, the City is being asked for general concurrence with the purpose and need for the project and will be asked to endorse a preferred concept so that further design analysis can be completed. The City's input and preferences are important to Ramsey County as they undertake balancing traditional engineering requirements with community concerns, environmental values, and cost- effectiveness. Providing an endorsement of the preferred concept will move the process forward and specific "Design Constraints" and "City Perspectives" will be addressed. The TH 10/County Highway 96 project is reaching a critical point in its schedule. With the time constraints associated with the federal funding for the proj ect, Ramsey County will need to begin the Preliminary Design Phase of the process at the beginning of June 2008. Decisions related to the preferred concept for this project as well as a commitment to the TH 10/Local Access interchange north of County Highway 96 are critical to ensure that the City's needs and concerns are addressed. Ramsey County will need to move forward in order to ensure the necessary safety and capacity improvements are achieved. Area residents, businesses, and the motoring public will be better served with input from the City of Arden Hills. I I I] ~! I I I Ii