Agenda - Council Work Session - 12/13/2011

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CC Work Session 2.2. Meeting Date: 12/13/2011 By: Tim Himmer, Engineering/Public Works Title: Update on the Armstrong Boulevard Interchange Background: City and County staff, and our consultant (WSB), are preparing to submit the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Armstrong interchange project to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for review and comment. Once the FHWA review is complete, the EA will then be going out for public comment in approximately March or April of 2012. Staff wanted to update the Council on the project, and provide you with an opportunity to review the draft EA at this time so we have the ability to potentially address any concerns that may be brought forward before it enters the public comment period. Due to the size of the document and all the attachments /exhibits, we could not attach it to this case but have rather placed a copy on the City's ftp site for your review. Please take the opportunity to review the EA over the next few weeks and forward any comments and /or concerns you may have to the engineering department. Observations: Staff would like to draw your attention to a couple of items within the preliminary interchange design that conflict with the layout that is being advanced in the feasibility study that is currently underway for the Sunwood Drive realignment project. 1. The location of 147th Avenue NW is currently shown in its existing location on the interchange design, but it is shifted slightly south of its current location in the Sunwood realignment project. This was done to improve the primary access into the COR from Armstrong Boulevard, and be consistent with the HRA approved development plan. As a side note, the signal proposed at this intersection will be owned and maintained by the City in perpetuity. 2. Armstrong Boulevard is shown to diverge to the east slightly out of the existing right -of -way into the COR property on the interchange design, but remains in its current alignment on the Sunwood project. The interchange project has been designed to avoid total takings of the properties along the west side of Armstrong, and therefore the roadway is proposed to move slightly east onto vacant HRA land in an effort to keep acquisition costs down. The Sunwood project proposes holding the existing Armstrong alignment to remain consistent with the recent HRA direction to investigate purchasing properties on the west side of Armstrong in an attempt to solve right -of -way acquisition issues for both projects. If we are able to successfully acquire these parcels Armstrong would be able to remain in its current alignment, thereby resulting in improved roadway geometrics and reduced interchange costs. 3 Staff was recently approached by Coborn's requesting a right -in condition be included in the interchange project to better access their site. Attached to this case is an exhibit prepared by their consultant that shows their desired access location on Armstrong Boulevard. Their proposal still needs to be discussed with MnDOT and Anoka County to determine its feasibility, but the City will also have to provide input as to whether it should be included in the future, and if so who would pay for it. As opposed to re- designing the interchange project (and all associated approvals and documents that go with it) at this late date, staff decided to continue with the plans as designed and referenced in all public meetings to date. If the Sunwood realignment project moves forward revisions to the interchange design can be accommodated prior to final design. The revisions being contemplated would only reduce the total project costs of the interchange, as we would be preconstructing improvements that would have been attributed to the interchage, and would not adversely affect the interchange project. Recommendation: