Receive Update on Bunker Lake Boulevard Improvement Project

The purpose of this case is to provide an information update relating to the proposed Bunker Lake Boulevard improvement project. Anoka County revised the attached concept level layout to address the City’s concerns as communicated by the Ramsey City Council through attached Resolution #20-043, which was supported by the City’s Economic Development Authority.
 
Below is a summary of the revisions incorporated into this layout from the original layout presented to the City Council. With the exception of Basalt Street and ALTRON’s driveway, Anoka County generally addressed all of the City’s comments.

• Limonite Street – Revised Plans remove pork chop island and median island constructed of tube delineators to allow full movement of traffic through the intersection. However, Anoka County plans to monitor traffic and will install pork chop and median island tube delineators if needed during single lane operations on Highway 10.
• Connexus Energy driveway – Revised Plans remove raised concrete pork chop island and median tube delineators to allow full movement of traffic at their driveway. However, Anoka County plans to monitor traffic and will install median tube delineators if needed during single lane operations on Highway 10.
• Sunwood Drive – Multiple options are being explored at this intersection.
  • Option 1 (as currently shown in the base layout) requires no widening of Sunwood Drive.
  • Option 2 would construct a dedicated left lane, a dedicated through lane and dedicated right turn lane would be constructed on Sunwood Drive, which would require widening both legs of Sunwood Drive at the City’s expense. Anoka County is estimating costs for this option for the City to use in determining if the benefits. Additionally, this option is exploring allowing vehicles to turn right onto eastbound Bunker Lake Boulevard when the light is red for eastbound Sunwood Drive. More discussion to ensue on this topic.
• 143rd Avenue – The revised plans remove raised median island and pork chop islands and added protected left turn lanes on Bunker Lake Boulevard to allow full movement of traffic through the intersection.
• ALTRON – This driveway is proposed as a right in, right out only. However, Anoka County said they would contact ALTRON and inquire if an access onto 143^rd Avenue would be acceptable in lieu continuing to allow left turns from westbound Bunker Lake Boulevard. Staff has not heard of any response from ALTRON at this point.   
• Basalt Street – The revised plans remove raised concrete pork chop islands but retained the raised concrete median island to prevent left turns to/from Bunker Lake Boulevard. This should have minimal impacts on businesses along Basalt Street, but Anoka County said they would contact these businesses to discuss the proposed modifications and obtain feedback.
• Azurite Street – Full access remains with new dedicated left turn lane from westbound Bunker Lake Boulevard to Azurite Street.

Anoka County plans to post an electronic open house on their web site the week of March 8th and is mailing invitations to local businesses as well as to Ramsey City Council members. 

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This is an information item. Staff is not asking for EDA Action.

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None.

This is an information item. Staff is not asking for EDA Action.