11-26-2003 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• project projected for constriction in 2013. Ramsey County and cities abutting this area want that date moved up to alleviate current problems. Council member Blesener and I attended a meeting of impacted parties this past week and emphasized that we feel this is an important project but we did not support this bridge being out of service while work on Umveave the Weave was occurring unless they could show how staging would negate the loss of this important traffic carrier. (Based on this meeting, it sounded like the soonest this project would happen is at the end of the Unweave the Weave project or around 2007-08.) MnDot plans to maintain traffic on the freeway while work is underway. However, it seems obvious that severe bottlenecks will occur as a result. Motorists will then look for alternate routes on streets through our community. Furthermore, will MnDot sign alternate routes given the freeway won't be closed? One alternate route that could handle a decent volume is the County Road E /Highway 61 /Highway 36 option. MnDot and Ramsey County have indicated that geometric improvements are needed at the County Road E /Highway 61 intersection. Funding for these improvements may occur by July of 2004, but it is subject to approval in a competitive process. While there may be time to complete the needed work in the fall of 2004, the fact that funding is not assured seems very short sighted. There may be other measures nve can take in Little Canada to help this situation as well. Could /should Centerville Road be improved before the start of the project'? Are turn lanes at Little Canada Road and Edgerton a good idea? Does signalizing that intersection make sense? Can the traffic signals along Little Canada Road by 35 -E be reset to improve traffic flow? Do we need additional police patrol for rush hour periods for LaBore and Edgerton during the course of this project'? Could a left turn lane from County Road D onto northbound 61 or eastbound 694 be considered? What other measures make sense? It is time to get these plans prepared in order that any improvements can be constructed in 2004. • Another item that should be discussed is the planned by -pass that will use County Road D and the new Edgerton Street Bridge. This by -pass would function for 31/2 months in 2006. It would route westbound 694 traffic coming from the south to Edgerton via a temporary ramp to County Road D. A continuous flow will occur with two 90- degree turns on and off of the Edgerton Bridge. A ramp back on to 694 west would also be constructed. This by -pass allows MnDot to shorten the project's duration. They expect only about 30% of existing traffic to use this option. Freeway traffic will be separated from local traffic via concrete barriers. (This can be accommodated on the Edgerton Bridge due to the turn lanes to be constricted. They will be used for two -way traffic flow and the freeway will be using the western most lane. • Current project timing is as follows: ❑ Edgerton Bridge in 2004. ❑ Unweave the Weave in 2005 through 2007 ❑ The temporary approaches for the Edgerton Bridge will be constructed in later part of 2004 for use in 06. ❑ LaBore Bridge in 2005. • We do have some leverage in the project due to municipal consent is required by Minnesota Statutes 161.162 to 161.167. (A copy of the Statute as well as a flow chart graphically depicting the process is attached.) While I am not advocating withholding our consent at this time, I believe this option may need to be on the table if we cannot attain satisfactory resolution to the issues we have raised.