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515 Little Canada Road, Little Canada, MN 55117-1600 <br />(651) 766-4029 / FAX: (651) 766-4048 <br />www.ci.little-canadiumn.us <br />MEMORANDUM <br />MAYOR <br />John Kcis <br />COUNCIL <br />Rick Montour <br />Michael McGraw <br />Toni Fischer <br />Christian Torkelson <br />ADMINISTRATOR <br />Joel R. Hanson <br />TO: Mayor Keis & Members of the City Council <br />FROM: Joel Hanson, City Administrator <br />DATE: March 6, 2015 <br />RE: Governor's Transportation Funding Plan & Rice Street Bridge over 694 <br />With the Governor's recent announcement regarding his transportation funding program, we <br />have come to learn that the Rice Street Bridge over Interstate 694 is not included in the 10 -year <br />program. As you know, with the pending Corridors of Commerce project, 694 will have a third <br />lane added in each direction from just east of Rice Street to Lexington Avenue. All bridges in <br />the corridor between 35E and 35W will have been reconstructed, except this one. This bridge <br />was initially scheduled to be replaced before the Unweave the Weave project. However, it was <br />delayed when the interchange could not be designed to store enough cars given 20 -year projected <br />traffic volumes. <br />It is my understanding MnDot's position is this bridge is in good condition. I'm somewhat <br />skeptical of this position given the Rice Street bridge over Highway 36 wasn't in their 20 year <br />plan and that structure had concrete chunks falling on to Highway 36. (If not for St. Jude <br />Medical, that bridge still wouldn't have been reconstructed.) <br />Attached is a letter Mayor Marc Johannsen of Vadnais I-Ieights sent to Governor Dayton. Mayor <br />Sandy Martin of Shoreview thinks our three cities should write a joint letter to address this issue. <br />(I am told that letter will be available to us on Monday.) I have also attached some background <br />info on the Governor's Transportation Plan. <br />Reconstruction of the Rice Street Bridge over 694 is one of our past Council goals. While the <br />Governor's Transportation Plan is not a certainty, it remains our best opportunity to get this <br />bridge reconstructed. Therefore, we should participate in the efforts to seek a modification to <br />this funding plan. <br />1 <br />