06-08-2022 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Keis and Members of City Council FROM: Bill Dircks, Public Works Director Eric Seaburg, P.E., City Engineer DATE: June 8, 2022 RE: Little Canada Road Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Grant Application Update ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED No action is requested. BACKGROUND The existing conditions along Little Canada Road from Centerville Road on the east side to Lakeshore Avenue on the west side are difficult to navigate for cars, bicycles, and pedestrians. These conditions were discussed at the April 13 City Council Workshop and the Council approved the resources to apply for two different grant opportunities. One was the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) for improvements along Little Canada Road to improve safety through the corridor and the other was the MnDOT Local Partnership Program (LPP) for a potential realignment of Country Drive to move it away from the 35E interchange. Bolton & Menk completed the HSIP application and submitted it ahead of the June 1 deadline. There is a requirement in the application to have an ADA Transition Plan in place for pedestrian facilities in the City. At a minimum, the City needs to have completed an ADA self-evaluation, which has not been completed for Little Canada. It was noted in the application that Ramsey County has a transition plan and the work would take place on the County-maintained road and that the City would complete an evaluation in 2022. Many of the grant opportunities are requiring the ADA transition plan as a new prerequisite so the City will need to get this work completed. Staff is working with Bolton & Menk to put a plan together in the coming months. The HSIP application is requesting funds to help complete a four to three lane conversion between Lakeshore Avenue and I-35E and reconstructing the Lakeshore/County Road C/Little Canada Road interchange into a roundabout. This would greatly benefit the intersection and improve safety for all parties through the corridor. Ramsey County Public Works is on board with the proposed changes and submitted a letter of support. It should be noted that Ramsey County also submitted an application for HSIP funds for a four to three lane conversion on County Road C from Lakeshore Avenue west to Rice Street as well. While researching for the LPP grant application, it was determined that there may be an easier, cheaper option than re-routing Country Drive so the application was put on hold and was not submitted by the due date. Bolton & Menk believe that a roundabout can fit in the right-of-way at the Country Drive/35E/Little Canada Road interchange and they are currently working with MnDOT on the feasibility of a roundabout and whether or not it would be allowed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).