EDA Packet 05.17.22 - Laserfiche WebLink

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TH 61 Visioning and Jurisdictional Transfer Study | Washington County 4Approach and Methodology they are stakeholders as they use the highway for their daily commutes, shopping, and recreational activities. Interactive Focus or Small Group Meetings: We feel facilitated and interactive group meetings are essential to engagement in a corridor planning study. The format of these meetings can be flexible to accommodate the target group. For example, a short one-hour virtual meeting can be scheduled with emergency service volunteers or an in-person presentation and focus group meeting can be held with area business owners as part of regularly scheduled Hugo Business Association meetings (held on the second Tuesday of each month). These are examples of those who may need more individualized attention and could benefit from these meetings. Digital and Social Media: Our team will provide content for regular project website updates. Assuming Washington County will host a project website, virtual elements of engagement opportunities including surveys, INPUTiD, technical reports, summaries, and more can be linked to provide additional information and transparency of the study process. We will also provide digital information to key establishments along the corridor like St. John’s Church, Hugo City Hall, and the new North Star Elementary School, which is scheduled to open in fall 2022. We propose requesting these key entities share study materials with their networks and post information in their bulletins/newsletters and on their social media accounts, all directing stakeholders to the project webpage where more study information is available and feedback can be provided. Analog materials like FAQ handouts, corridor issues maps, and surveys can also be provided to community destinations to host at their physical sites. These “meeting in a box” style efforts are low cost and flexible to gather feedback from places where people are comfortable and already gathering. Understanding the root cause of issues in the study area will allow the project team to provide recommendations to improve the corridor. This study requires a broad look at data to inform a holistic approach to community benefit and improvement. This will be incorporated in the development of all project alternatives and coordinated with the applicable county, city, and regional departments and agencies. A high-level summary includes: »Workforce and job opportunities on, along, or impacted by Highway 61 »Opportunities for improvements that support healthy alternatives to access and cross Highway 61, including bicycle facilities »Current development and redevelopment opportunities along the corridor »Areas on the corridor with higher crash rates »Coordination with regards to proposed METRO Purple Line BRT study »Corridor demographic information »StreetLight InSight to identify corridor users and travel patterns, travel time, and speed A study of current and future issues will be completed using a variety of data sources. We will assemble study information that provides a solid corridor understanding to help identify any new community priorities and be incorporated throughout the project area as concepts are developed. As part of this effort, we will reference the multiple planning documents that impact the project area to understand expectations of regional growth and transit plans. Demographics and Land Use Analysis of demographic data is important to determining how the area is transitioning and the types of land uses and demands the corridor may need to serve in the future. We are intimately familiar with data sources and environmental justice tools that not only guide decision making but inform a comprehensive public and agency engagement plan. Our team frequently works in this arena, using our agency reach and financial resources to prop up and learn from groups and individuals that best speak to needs and existing barriers surrounding equity in transportation. We don’t just gather this data to document it; we know how to transform it into a framework tool. Demographics and land use are vitally important for informing conversations about the community’s priorities for existing and future infrastructure. In the Arboretum Area Transportation Plan for Carver County, our team graphically represented this data to shape conclusions on how demographics and land use have been and will continue to influence transportation choices in the area. Check it out. Knowing that changing demographics are already driving these conversations, we will use data sources to, where necessary, update or build upon existing understandings. For example, existing understandings related to access and mobility include: »Employees with limited transportation options seek good paying jobs at businesses located in various locations in the county and region »Older adults are living in our communities in greater number »People with disabilities are moving to communities throughout the county, requiring additional transportation resources to meet their needs »Population growth in the region means there are more people to move within the county and throughout the metropolitan area »Residents are using modes other than a private automobile to get to their destinations Roadway Function We will look at big picture elements related to corridor context within the regional transportation system. Land use (existing and future), route function (locally and within the regional system), and access conditions all play a major role in determining what improvements can and should be made. Highway 61 is an A-minor expander up to CSAH 4 where it transitions to an A-minor collector. This study will assess the roadway to first ensure it is CORRIDOR INVENTORY, CONTEXT, AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES 3 CLICKHERE