Review and Respond to the Metropolitan Council Regional Transportation Policy Plan

The purpose of this case is to draft a response to the Metropolitan Council Housing Policy Plan.

NOTE: Due to the size of the document, the Transportation Policy Plan is not being attached to this case. The TPP is available online at http://www.metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Planning/Transportation-Policy-Plan/2040-Transportation-Policy-Plan/2040-TPP-Public-Comment-Draft.aspx. Staff will also make hard copies, hyperlinks, or distribution of PDF versions upon request.

Notification is not required.

As the Planning Commission is aware, the Metropolitan Council is in the process of updating Regional System Plans (Water Resources, Transportation, Parks, Housing). The Metropolitan Council has released the Transportation Policy Plan for public comment. The City's Engineering Division is preparing a response to the Metropolitan Council and desires preliminary feedback from the Planning Commission.

The Transportation Policy Plan is an important policy document as it relates to Ramsey's goals and initiatives. This policy document will serve as the policy document for key transportation investments across the region. The two regional transportation systems identified as a regional system are U.S. Highway 10 and Trunk Highway 47.

Broadly speaking, based on previous review with the Planning Commission, City Council, and other advisory boards, comments should address the following broad categories:
 

1. Additional investment to Highway 10
2. Additional investment to Highway 47
3. Long range planning for a future river crossing to the City of Dayton

Staff feels additional emphasis in these three (3) categories is warranted. The policy plan does acknowledge the Armstrong Interchange as a regional project. Staff feels that the Highway 10 Access Planning Study should be featured with more prominence. Finally, Staff believes that, although likely several years away, an emphasis on planning for a future river crossing to the City of Dayton should not be lost in the amendment to this policy plan. This will be key as this future project will require coordination of the City of Ramsey, City of Dayton, Anoka County, Hennepin County, Mn/DOT, DNR, and the Metropolitan Council. Regardless of the timing of this future project, Staff is afraid that this priority will diminish over time as these policy documents are only updated once every ten (10) years.

This case is being prepared as part of normal Staff duties.

Staff recommends that the draft response to the Transportation Policy Plan provide greater emphasis on the following categories:
 

1. Additional investment to Highway 10
2. Additional investment to Highway 47
3. Long range planning for a future river crossing to the City of Dayton

Staff will also be prepared to provide more detailed analysis on other components of the plan, such as the transit and bicycle sections.

Motion to recommend that the draft response to the Transportation Policy Plan provide greater emphasis on the following categories:
 

1. Additional investment to Highway 10
2. Additional investment to Highway 47
3. Long range planning for a future river crossing to the City of Dayton