The purpose of this case is to consider a recommendation on a Resolution of Support for the Highway 10 Access Planning Study as requested by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

In April, 2013, MnDOT initiated the Highway 10 Access Planning Study. The Study Area encompasses a seven (7) mile corridor of U.S. Highway 10 starting at the Rum River in the City of Anoka, through the City of Ramsey, to just west of Ramsey into the City of Elk River. The intent of the Study was to identify fiscally-responsible, high-benefit, incremental improvements that will ultimately work towards the conversion of U.S. Highway 10 to freeway status. MnDOT, its project partner Anoka County, and consulting engineer Bolton and Menk, have completed the final draft of the Study and are requesting that the cities of Ramsey and Anoka adopt resolutions of support of the Study.

The Study approach is broken into three (3) broad categories to address issues identified in the Study:
 

1. Access Management
2. Westbound Highway 10 Free Flow
3. Eastbound and Westbound Highway 10 Free Flow

There were multiple opportunities for citizen engagement over the twelve (12) month study period:
 

1. Three (3) Public Open Houses
2. Three (3) Business and Stakeholder Meetings
3. Multiple individual stakeholder meetings

Completion of the Highway 10 Access Planning Study is the first of multiple steps that would be undertaken in the next several years to advance individual projects along the corridor. Supporting or adopting the Study would not approve any of the projects identified in the Study, but rather would allow advancement of individual projects to preliminary and final design stages for future approvals.

The three (3) phase approach can also be described as first improving local roadway connections (frontage roads) to incrementally work towards grade separated interchanges at Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard. According to the Study, this approach provides over 90 percent of the operational and safety benefits of the previous freeway vision for less than 50 percent of the total cost.

Some of the common themes voiced by Ramsey stakeholders during Public Open Houses and Business Stakeholder Meetings included, but were not limited to, the following:
 

1. Reduced or modified access, especially for those with direct, private access to Highway 10 is a concern for some businesses.
2. Increased levels of traffic on Riverdale Drive concerns some residential property owners.
3. Alternatives that create multiple turning movements to access local roads from Highway 10 is a concern for some convenience retailers at key nodes (Sunfish Lake Boulevard, Ramsey Boulevard).

Overall, Staff believes the stated three phase approach is an acceptable means to address issues identified in the corridor. There are a number of micro-scale details within each sub-area that will need to be addressed through preliminary design to better understand the true implications to individual properties. It is important to note that the City is not selecting a preferred design for grade-separated interchanges at this time, yet acknowledging that multiple alternatives exist at each node is worth exploring further.

According to MnDOT Staff, the recommendations contained within the Study are consistent with the Metropolitan Council Transportation Policy Plan, Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan, and MnDOT's Enhancing Financial Effectiveness efforts. These components have appeared to be barriers to the previous planning document for Highway 10.

Finally, as the City reviews the draft, Staff acknowledges there are a number of typographical and labeling amendments that will be necessary.

In order for this Study to be successful, continued partnership with the City of Anoka will be a critical component. As the Study priorities indicate, the approach will be to begin to eliminate barriers that cause congestion and safety issues at the east end of the corridor, incrementally eliminating traffic signals at Fairoak Avenue and Thurston Avenue, continuing to work improvements to the west into the City of Ramsey. Additionally, multiple standalone projects and local road connections exist within Ramsey that could move forward simultaneously to the overall study approach.

As the resolution of support outlines, there are several items that Staff feels the City and project partners should address with future phases of the Study:
 

1. Additional land use analysis of the area east of Tungsten Avenue, south of Highway 10 impacted by the two (2) alternatives for the Riverdale Drive extension. It will be important for residents, owners, and stakeholders of this area to quickly and expeditiously resolve to a single alternative in order for these stakeholders to make reasonable future land use decisions.
2. The preference of the full access, freeway-over single-point urban interchange at both Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard at Highway 10 that maximizes safety and mobility while balancing the economic development needs of existing properties.
3. An understanding of the ultimate connection of northern frontage roads at the border of the cities of Ramsey and Anoka.
4. A joint document between the City of Ramsey, City of Anoka, and Anoka County outlining project priorities, timing, roles, responsibilities, and accountability.
5. A policy for the sale of City-owned properties previously acquired through the Right-of-Way Acquisition and Loan Fund (RALF) that will no longer be needed for roadway purposes under the previous planning documents.