Agenda - Council - 08/25/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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# REPORT FROM THE ROAD AND BRIDGE COMMITTEE By: Steven J. Jankowski, P.E. Background: On Tuesday, August 18, 1998, the Road and Bridge Committee met to discuss four cases. The original agenda of the meeting is attached to this case. Below is a summary of the discussion and recommendations of the Committee. Case #1: Update on T.H. #47 STP Projects. The Committee reviewed an update of the project schedule. The new schedule shows a six week delay fi.om the schedule previously presented in the Spring of 1998. The delay is caused primarily by an additional month that was used to respond to comments that Mn/DOT had on the preliminary design. The EAW has been sent to both Mn/DOT and FWHA for review and comment before the public hearing can be held. The Committee inquired as to whether the reviews by Mn/DOT and FWHA could be conducted concurrently. Staff has researched this and has found that FWHA generally will not look at an EA document unless it is received fi.om Mn/DOT. However, the consultant will contact FWHA to see if something can be expedited in this case. I have spoken with the consultants and they have suggested that the public hearing be set. It is proposed that the date of this public hearing be September 29, 1998, between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Notices of this meeting will be sent out directly to those property owners adjacent to T.H. #47, along with the revised schedule. The revised schedule indicates that there will be an approximate six weeks delay fi.om the previous schedule distributed in the Spring of 1998. However, to expedite the process appraisals have been authorized and will begin on or about September 1, 1998, and will be completed within six weeks. This way offers will be ready to be made to property owners immediately after the Mn/DOT issues the finding of no significant impact (FONSI). This is expected by late November, 1998. The Committee also reviewed a pedestrian underpass, which was extended from the east to the west side of T.H. ~47. This underpass had a price tag of $250,000 and it wasn't entirely certain as to whether it would be grant eligible or not. Staff was directed to go back to the consultant and look at alternative locations to the proposed underpass, could it be moved southward across T.H. #47 or having it go from the east to the west side of County Road #5? A report on the feasibility of these alternatives should be available at the Tuesday meeting. Finally, several design layout review comments by Mn/DOT were reviewed by the Committee. The Committee concurred with Staff's positions on these comments, which include leaving the intersection of 149th Lane as proposed in the design layout; slightly realigning the cross- intersections at both 153rd and 149th Avenue to be more perpendicular to the highway than