Agenda - Council Work Session - 01/24/2012

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Long Range Improvement Strategy: Next 20+ years • Improvements to the TH10 corridor may occur in the form of incremental smaller projects and converting intersections to interchanges that result in a controlled access freeway without added capacity to TH 10. (New lanes are considered added capacity while a new interchange would not be considered added capacity.) It is anticipated that any such improvements would be accomplished over a long term. MnDOT and the Council recognize that Anoka County and the cities of Anoka and Ramsey, along with the FHWA, have not only contributed significant funding to past TH10 studies, but also done a very good job to plan for and advocate for their local needs on the corridor. • Given that corridor improvements now need to be reassessed, MnDOT acknowledges that it should and will fund as well as lead future scoping of the long -term and interim improvements in the TH10 corridor starting in 2012. This reassessment will identify and prioritize the existing intersection modifications that should occur along the TH10 corridor. This scoping of future improvements will be done in a manner that is consistent with regional policies of identifying lower -cost, high benefit projects, utilizing existing right-of- way and capacity to the greatest extent possible and implementing technology solutions where possible. The identification of the future improvements will follow the CIMS process and will look at decisions in the context of overall regional needs and priorities. CSAH 83/Armstrong Interchange is a TH10 Corridor priority • MnDOT and the Council agree with Anoka County and the City of Ramsey that the CSAH83 /Armstrong interchange is the priority improvement within the TH10 corridor for both mobility and safety reasons. • We applaud the City of F amsey "s and Anoka County's efforts to "right -size" the design of the CSAH 83/Armstrong interchange. This design will make the project more competitive for funding opportunities. Anoka County and /or the City of Ramsey are encouraged to apply to MnDOT's upcoming competitive NexTED funding solicitation as it is consistent with program priorities, This program was briefly addressed at the December 12 workshop. Anoka County did submit the CSAH 83 /Armstrong interchange project for TED funding at the behest of MnDOT and the Metropolitan Council in 2010. While it did not make the funding cut, it did score relatively well. • There are no restrictions, including in MnDOT or Met Council policies, on seeking funding for or constructing the CSAH 83/Armstrong interchange. RALF Reassessment In 2010, the Council suspended the RALF program so that a reassessment of the program could be conducted. Reasons for the reassessment include 1) the potential that new requests will exceed available funds, 2) an interest in aligning RALF acquisitions and expenditures more closely to the priorities in the region's Transportation Policy Plan and 3) after more than 25 years, a need to review the program in light of today's variable land prices. In addition, as authorized by the Legislature, $8.2 million in RALF funds were used to balance the 2012/2013 transit operating budget to partially offset a reduction in state general funds. The RALF program reassessment is underway with Anoka County staff Jack Corkle and City of Ramsey staff Brian Olson both serving on the regional RALF reassessment technical committee. TH10 RALF Parcels Until the long -term investment strategy for the THIO corridor is developed, MnDOT and the Council recommend that all parcels acquired with RALF funding be retained and no new properties be acquired with limited exception for extraordinary circumstances. The long -term strategy will determine which parcels are needed. All stakeholders agree that important safety benefits are being realized today as a result of the RALF acquisitions through closed access onto TH10. While we all recognize that in the short term there is a significant transportation funding crisis and it may delay improvements, Ramsey should not sell back •RALF- acquired parcels which would allow further development to occur on those parcels until the updated TH10 corridor strategy is completed. As was discussed at the November 21, 2011 meeting, decisions on specific RALF parcels can be made after the long term strategy for THIO has been developed. An Equal Opportunity Employer