12-20-2006 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Department of Public Works Kenneth G. Haider, P.E., Director and County Engineer 1425 Paul Kirkwold Drive Arden Hills, MN 55112-3933 • (651) 266 -7100 • Fax (651) 266 -7110 E -mail: Public.Works @co.ramsey.mn.us November 15, 2006 Joel Hanson City Manager 515 Little Canada Road E Little Canada, MN. 55127 Subject: Highway 49 Reconstruction Concept Plan Development for Highway 36 to County Road J Technical Advisory Committee -- City Membership/Participation Dear Mr. Hanson: Ramsey County is beginning work on a Concept Plan for the reconstruction of Highway 49 from Highway 36 to County Road J -- roughly 8 miles. We would like to assemble a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to play a key role in guiding that process. At this point we envision the group be comprised of representatives from Ramsey County, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Metro Transit, and the Cities of Roseville, Little Canada, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, and North Oaks. Other entities such as area watershed organizations, Anoka County, etc. will be invited to participate selectively in specific areas of study. Ramsey County staff will provide technical support and facilitate the group. Each City is invited to appoint four representatives -- one staff person, one elected official, a commercial property spokesperson, and someone to speak for area residents. We are requesting each city appoint members between now and the end of December 2006. Tentatively, the TAC would begin meeting in January 2007 and complete its work over a 9 -10 month period. Meetings would be in the early evening on a set day to be determined by the group. The first three meetings would be spaced about three weeks apart, then generally convene once per month. Upon completion of the Concept Report, it will be presented to each community for review and approval. The proposed planning process will identify transportation goals and objectives along the corridor within a context of land use, environmental concerns, and other forces /issues. The resulting matrix of information provides a foundation for specific roadway design criteria and preliminary layouts. Concepts will be sufficiently detailed to articulate lane configuration, basic intersection design, signalization, transit and pedestrian elements, drainage /ponding strategies, aesthetic features, recommended segmenting, etc. A final concept report will compile all of the information into a single document, and include a summary of implementation strategy and construction schedule. There are several advantages to developing a concept for the entire eight mile corridor; I) affords greater cooperation and balance among competing interests, needs and resources, 2) provides opportunities for local planning and investment to compliment transportation improvements and influence schedules, and 3) ensures consistency with respect to roadway features and function. A similar process was used on Highway 96 and can be credited for that roadway's relative uniformity through several cities and differing tac 19.intro. 11.15.06 Minnesota's First Home !rule County