Receive Sound Wall Request Letter from Residents East of State Highway 47, North of Xkimo Street

Attached is a copy of an email recently received by the City Engineer/Interim Community Development Director from residents along Xkimo Court NW, east of State Highway 47 and north of Xkimo Street, after meeting with the residents on site.  The email respectfully requests the following items be pursued by the City of Ramsey:
 
· Partner with MNDOT to determine if building an appropriate, effective noise wall would be their responsibility or the City’s
 
· If MNDOT has the responsibility, then to partner and advocate for them to seek funding to build an effective noise wall on par with the height above street level of, and extending
to, the existing noise wall further north along cty 47
 
· If the City has the responsibility, pursue approval and prioritize allocating funding to build an effective noise wall on par with the height above street level of, and extending to, the existing noise wall further north along cty 47
 
· Establish a noise ordinance to discourage vehicles from excessive acceleration or jake-breaking at the 47/5 intersection
 
· Seek partnership with Ramsey PD and/or the Anoka County Sheriff, to establish a presence in the area [even if simply parking in-between calls or completing paperwork]
to discourage the above behavior
 
· Post signs on Hwy 47 to notify drivers of the noise ordinance and that it is enforced by the City of Ramsey
 
· Provide a plan timeline, along with regular communication on progress, regarding the above to the residents of Xkimo Ct. Nw.
 

Staff has not yet begun to work on a response letter, and is awaiting Committee direction.
 
If the Committee would like an estimate of the costs to construct sound walls as requested, Staff can prepare an estimate and present it at the next regular Public Works Committee meeting.

Attached is an email from MnDOT with responses to Staff's questins regarding external funding sources.  At this time it does not apprea that external funds are available to extend the sound wall. However, Staff will continue to explore external funding sources for such sound wall improvements. 
 
It is too late in the year to begin construction of a sound wall in 2021, so at best this work could be completed in 2022.  This would require the collection of topo survey this fall or next spring to determine where a sound wall could effectively be constructed along this corridor.  In order for a sound wall to be affective it should be constructed at a height extending at least 6-feet above the pavement of northbound Highway 47.
 
Attached is a figure showing how long the sound wall would need to extend to the north of the Ramsey Villas North plat to connect to the existing sound wall approximately 900 feet north.  

Staff estimates 25 minutes will be needed to present this case and respond to questions.  

Observations:
Staff informed the residents that submitted the email that this case would be presented at this evening’s Public Works Committee meeting so Staff anticipates there will be several residents in attendance.   
 
Alternatives:
Alternative #1 – Motion directing Staff to prepare a response letter addressing the requested actions per the email received from the residents of Xkimo Court NW, and to present a draft response letter for action at the next regular Public Works Committee meeting.
 
Alternative #2 – Motion of other.   
 

To be determined based on the Committee’s direction to Staff.   

Staff does not have a recommendation to offer at this time. 

Motion directing Staff to prepare a response letter addressing the requested actions per the email received from the residents of Xkimo Court NW, and to present a draft response letter for action at the next regular Public Works Committee meeting.