Adopt Resolution #18-049 authorizing Civil Engineering Planning Services from Bolton and Menk for Highway 10 Planning Effort

The purpose of this case is to authorize a Work Order with Bolton and Menk to perform planning and engineering services related to future Highway 10 design.

Staff is only seeking approval for Phase I (Project Justification, Concepts, Evaluation). Staff is not seeking approval for Phase II (Vision Refinement, Preliminary Design, Funding) at this time.

Staff has already completed three rounds of refining the scope. Staff has already scaled back on renderings/visualizations, public meetings, and communication assistance.

15-20 minutes

Scale and Magnitude 

The project is a significant investment. The project covers a large geographic area consisting of multiple projects. The primary nodes are Sunfish Lake Boulevard, Ramsey Boulevard, and Alpine Drive with inter-connectivity through a series of frontage roads. The total capital costs of the improvements themselves are range from $65 million to $120 million dollars. Although this is a significant investment, by not completing this step and attempting to proceed to Preliminary Design without this step would result in a cost to the City much higher than the current request.

Building on the Highway 10 Access Planning Study and Cost Savings

This planning and design effort builds upon the Highway 10 Access Planning Study performed by Bolton and Menk (same firm) on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and Anoka County. That study helped frame the problem, identify issues, and chart out several alternatives. The City is not paying for costs already completed, so the previous study is seen as a costs-savings for this step.

Clear Vision

This planning effort, a precursor to Preliminary Design and Final Design, is important to establish a clear vision for the corridor. The previous Highway 10 Access Planning Study helped establish a broad vision and approach for the corridor with several options at each node. This step will now select preferred alternatives for frontage roads and interchanges. The Highway 10 Access Planning Study is a compilation of nearly twenty separate projects in Ramsey. This planning effort will take the vision from a series of disconnected alternatives into a single concise vision.

Accuracy

This planning step is more than simply drawing lines on a map. In order to add value to the process and begin implementing the Highway 10 Access Planning Study, additional accuracy is needed. The difference in accuracy could mean the difference between partial acquisition and full acquisition of property. Based on previous corridor planning studies, the difference between partial acquisitions and full acquisitions is several million dollars. The City still does not have sufficient information to communicate accurate right-of-way needs without this step.

Stakeholder Impacts

There has been a high level of real and perceived uncertainty surrounding the vision for the corridor that has created increasingly high levels of frustration within the corridor. Due to previous planning efforts, certain land use controls were established (Official Map) that indicated need for full acquisition of parcels. The need for additional right-of-way for the new plan is greatly reduced. However, in order to remove areas from the Official Map that are no longer needed (without removing areas that are still needed), this planning step is required. This step should ease the ability for improvements and real estate transactions for those parcels not directly impacted by future Highway 10 improvements.

This provides an overlap to the City Council's Strategic Initiative to Clean Up the Image of Highway 10. It is hypothesized by observation and stakeholder feedback that many Property Owners are hesitant to significantly reinvest in properties without certainty on the future of Highway 10.

Right of Way Acquisition

The City has long utilized the Right-of-Way Aquisition Loan Fund (RALF) program to secure property for future Highway 10 improvements. Most recently, this program was utilized to purchase 6401 Highway 10 NW, the former Sunfish Lake Express Gas Station. However, the City will no longer be able to access these funds until this planning step is completed.

The City also cannot receive MnDOT Approved Layout without this step.

Funding

Without the deliverables above, especially clarity to the vision, the City will likely be unsuccessful in several funding requests, especially regarding grade-separated interchanges.

Public Engagement and Communication

The Work Order includes several opportunities to supplement City Staff in the area of engagement and communication. The Work Order contemplates a series of workshops at various scales. Please see the attached proposal for a more detailed listing. Additionally, the Work Order includes assistance in website and newsletter content to better communicate with the community.

Approximately $50,000 could be removed from the Work Order by reducing the amount of public meetings and communication. However, Staff does not recommend this approach due to the complex nature and a perceived need to better communicate the vision of Highway 10 to the community. Staff still encounters a large cross-section of the community that is unaware of the existence of the Highway 10 Access Planning Study. Additionally, this is a significant theme of the Comprehensive Plan Update.

Proven Success

The general approach has a proven track record for success for the corridor. The City of Anoka completed a similar process over the past several years with Bolton and Menk. As a result, the City of Anoka has secured over $30 Million for Highway 10 projects in Anoka.

Highway 10 Steering Committee

Staff recommends establishment of a Highway 10 Steering Committee, similar to that created for the Comprehensive Plan Update. This has been a successful tactic in creating a collaborative approach. The proposed structure would be a mix of Highway 10 Business Owners and Property Owners, members of the community at large, and representatives from Ramsey Boards and Commissions. Staff believes this will improve the effectiveness of involvement and collaboration, where previous efforts have been less successful on this topic.

Resilient Communities Project (RCP) Implementation Strategies

The City has partnered with the University of Minnesota through its Resilient Communities Project (RCP). One of the projects RCP worked on was Highway 10 planning and outreach. Staff will share multiple ideas that could be good supplements to this effort.

Strategic Plan Initiative - Improve the Image of Highway 10

Staff will also use this structure to supplement a parallel planning effort focused on future land use and improvements to private properties. Staff has been directed by City Council to create a plan to improve the image of Highway 10. The two topics are interrelated and can occur parallel to each other to avoid duplication.

Frequently Asked Questions

MnDOT and Anoka County completed the Highway 10 Access Planning Study; Why is this additional work necessary?
This step is necessary in establishing a single vision for the corridor. The previous study efforts were a high-level exploration with multiple alternatives. The City must now study these alternatives in more detail to determine a single vision. This single vision is necessary in order to access funds for right-of-way acquisition. The lack of a focused vision has created significant frustration from corridor stakeholders from multiple perspectives. Projects in Anoka are likely to commence on or about 2021 (approximately $40 Million has been secured for Anoka projects). Ramsey needs to be positioned to be ready to upgrade its infrastructure to address new traffic patterns.

How is this planning effort different than the previous study?
This study focuses on Ramsey's plan, while still working within the broader coalition (Ramsey, Anoka, Coon Rapids). This planning process will also model future growth and traffic forecasts, where the previous study only looked at existing conditions. Additional growth is expected in Ramsey, so this planning effort will ensure the investments are designed for future capacity. The rail crossings were not introduced to the previous study until later in the process. Based on initial exploration, additional planning and design is necessary to determine the feasibility and prioritization of these crossings.

Are there cost savings associated with building off the previous study?
Yes. There are significant cost savings in terms of environmental screening, existing conditions exploration, mapping, and public engagement.

Why wasn't a full Request for Proposals requested for this particular project?
The City has previously done a Request for Proposals for Engineering Services for this purpose. This created an 'Engineering Pool' that allowed the City to negotiate proposals directly with firms in the pool and ensure a competitive rate. Additionally, Bolton and Menk completed the Highway 10 Access Planning Study on behalf of MnDOT and Anoka County as well as the Anoka Solution on behalf of the City of Anoka. Given this firm's familiarity with the project, there are considerable cost savings without needing to step back to the scoping and data collection step. While somewhat difficult to quantify, it is possible that these cost savings could be quantified in the $25,000 to $50,000 range.

Alternatives

Alternative 1: Authorize the Work Order as presented.

Alternative 2: Authorize the Work Order with changes.

Alternative 3: Authorize a competitive Request for Proposals process to allow additional firms to propose a Work Order.

Alternative 4: Do not proceed with the planning efforts for Highway 10.

The funding source is the Public Improvements Revolving (PIR) Fund. The scope of work is $499,955.

Staff recommends proceeding forward with the Work Order. Bolton and Menk was the engineer for the Highway 10 Access Planning Study (study area = City of Anoka and City of Ramsey). There are a number of efficiencies of this firm proceeding forward with the work as opposed to bringing in a new firm.

The Public Works Committee recommended approval of the Work Order, contingent upon ensuring that these efforts did not conflict with the priorities or efforts of the Greater Minnesota Gateway Coalition, prioritizing all Highway 10 projects. Staff has confirmed that said coalition is generally supportive of this effort.

Motion to adopt Resolution #18-049 authorizing the Work Order with Bolton and Menk for Highway 10 Planning and Design Services in the amount of $499,855.