Motion to issue a No Vote on Proposed Noise Wall for Highway 169 Project.

Motion to issue a no vote on the proposed noise wall.

SRF Consulting Group, on behalf of MnDOT, conducted a traffic noise study for the Highway 169 Revitalization Project in Mankato and Mankato. The proposed project includes federal-aid funding; therefore, the proposed project must comply with the noise requirements set by the Federal Highway Administration. A traffic noise analysis was required with the project because of the proposed roundabout, which would introduce a new minor length of roadway. Modeled traffic noise levels under future conditions in 2048 would exceed the federal noise abatement criterion which require noise mitigation (noise walls).
 
A total of six walls were evaluated along the Project corridor, between Belgrade Avenue (south limit of the project) and Lake Street NW (north limit of the project). A total of three (3) modeled noise walls were determined to be feasible, met the noise reduction goal, and are cost-effective. The other three noise walls that were modeled and evaluated did not qualify for the voting process because they did not meet MnDOT criteria.
 
The City of Mankato is responsible for voting on one of the noise walls, due to the wall benefiting a proposal trail. This is because Mankato is anticipated to be the future trail authority for the proposed trails that are being constructed along part of this project. As a result of gathering information for voting on the noise walls, we reached out to the four businesses that would be adjacent to the proposed wall. Each business shared their desire to not have the wall constructed. Staff would ask the Council to issue a No vote on behalf of the affected area.