12-20-2006 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Highway 49 -- CSAH Turnback Summary /Background Information November 15, 2006 Jurisdiction Change Trunk Highway 49 was turned back to Ramsey County from the State of Minnesota as part of a countywide functional consolidation of roadways. The transfer occurred in two segments -- 1 -694 to County Road J in November 1996 and University Avenue to 1 -694 in 2002. The change added just over 11 miles to the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) system. Portions of Highway 49, north of County Road J were also turned back to Anoka County. Highway 49 functions as an A -minor Arterial providing a critical north /south transportation link for both Counties and several cities. Traffic volumes of 10,000 to 21,000 vehicles per day continue to grow in response to land development, vehicles /trips per household and regional congestion. The impetus for Highway 49 and similar transfers was to selectively reassign roadways to the correct jurisdiction -- where decisions on operations, maintenance, and improvements would be made within an appropriate context. Roadways such as Highway 49, while extremely important locally, often slip to a low priority within MnDOT's system of inter - region /interstate highways. Under current funding constraints, MnDOT has had to focus on larger regional transportation issues, leaving many needs on low priority roadways unmet. Turning a Highway, such as TH 49 back to a County opens the door to evaluate maintenance and investment according to local priorities, where the highway may be of greater importance. The transfer of Highway 49 to the County also makes maintenance and improvements eligible for funding from the CSAH Turnback Account. Early Evaluations/Discussions The County did attempt to evaluate Highway 49 needs with input from affected communities. Early discussions identified a number of issues and concerns but, aside from three specific problem areas, did not muster more than passive support for an aggressive reconstruction schedule. It was agreed immediate improvements should be sought in the Chippewa Middle School area north of Highway 96, and also in the interchange areas for I- Iighway 36 and 1 -694. The later areas, of course, require close coordination and cooperative funding with MnDOT. Other improvements to Highway 49 were to follow a more flexible long -term approach utilizing a combination of maintenance and full reconstruction where and when warranted, with interchange improvements helping define some of those needs. Improvement /Planning to Date Reconstruction of Highway 49 from Bridge Street to Birch Lane South was completed in 2002, resolving long standing safety issues at Chippewa Middle School, correcting traffic conflicts /deficiencies in the commercial area surrounding the I- Iighway 96 /Highway 49 intersection and at Tanglewood Drive, as well as increasing traffic capacity along the segment. A mill and overlay has been completed in 2004 between Maryland Avenue and the Railroad Bridge just north of Pennsylvania Avenue to extend pavement life. Similar maintenance is likely on other portions south of County Road 13 as pavement conditions degrade. Significant planning continues for interchange improvements at 1 -694 and T1-1 36. I-Ieavy congestion in those areas dearly affects mainline flows for Highway 36 and 1 -694, and significantly affects service levels along Highway 49. It is generally agreed new interchanges would be a major benefit to the traveling public, and also provide key features of the framework for reconstructing Highway 49. Early 7ACbacicground. 11.15.06