1994 06-20 CCP - Laserfiche WebLink

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background In 1992, a number of cities in the I-35E corridor recognized that action needed to be taken to preserve roadway capacity and yet allow reasonable development projects to proceed. A Project Management Team (PMT) was formed and a transportation planning consultant was retained to analyze the existing and projected future conditions. The I-35E corridor is a principal north -south arterial through the Twin Cities metropolitan. area and is a segment of Interstate 35 which begins in Laredo, Texas and terminates in Duluth, Minnesota. In the Twin Cities,Interstate 35 splits into two highways in the southern Twin Cities suburb of Burnsville. Interstate 35W proceeds north out of Burnsville through Minneapolis and Interstate 35E extends northeast through St. Paul. Exhibit 1 shows the location of the I-35E corridor in relationship to the metro area. The corridor study covers a portion of I-35E north of I-694 to County Road J at the northern boundary of Ramsey County. A study area was delineated approximately 2 miles on either side of I-35E to account for the influence of the highway and to allow for the evaluation of issues which relate to the roadway system which interacts with the highway. Exhibit 2 shows the boundaries of the study area. The corridor has felt the effects of traffic growth from external and internal influences. Outside of the study area boundaries, the corridor has been affected by growth in suburbs to the north along I-35E including. Lino Lakes, Hugo and Forest Lake. Within the study area, traffic growth is being fueled by new commercial and industrial developments including Cub Foods and Wal-Mart. There have been a number of roadway improvements in response to the external and internal growth including changes to the intersection of Trunk Highway 96 and Centerville Road and the upgrading of County Road E and expansion of the County Road E bridge at I-35E. Study Issues and Scope The Project Management Team's primary goal was to develop a multi jurisdictional plan for guiding future land use and thoroughfare implementation actions in the I-35E corridor. For this plan to succeed, it needed to reflect an optimal balance between land uses development desires and transportation system capacity to provide access and mobility for the trips from these developments. It was recognized that there were limitations for funding future improvements and that there was a need to quantify the potential for implementing various traffic management strategies. 1-35E Corridor Study Sponsors: 1-35E Project. Management Team (PMT) Page 1 A-METRO.3' 354.00