Agenda - Council Work Session - 12/09/2014

Home

Page 5 As the Plan doesn't present information on the A -Minor Arterial system, we referred to our own 2030 Transportation Plan prepared in 2008, which determined that even with programmed improvements, the average speed on our A -Minor Arterial roadway system would drop from 23.3 mph in 2000 to 14.2 mph in 2030. While this is a dire picture, it can be expected that with the population and employment increase projected for Anoka County by Met Council, the average travel time will be even lower in the 2040 TPP. Comments/Recommendations on the 2040 TPP Plan Is Not Consistent with Needs of Rea_ ion The Plan places a significant focus on transportation options such as transit that will not adequately serve the transportation needs of the areas projected to increase in population and employment. Even Met Council's 2040 projections show that 80 percent of the population growth, and 75 percent of the employment growth, will occur outside of what has been defined as the Urban Center of the region. Whether or not this is good or bad is irrelevant. What is important is that the transportation needs associated with this growth are not going to be addressed with the planned improvements identified in the Plan. RECOMMENDATION The Plan should contain more balance with respect to providing transportation improvements to meet the varying travel needs throughout our region. Essentially, there is a lack of information on how to address the roadway deficiencies throughout our region. "A" -Minor Arterial and Non-Freewav Principal Arterial System Needs There is little to no recognition of key local, trunk highway "A" -Minor, and non -freeway Principal Arterial needs in the region. In 2012, the Met Council produced the report: "A" -Minor Arterial System Evaluation, which contained important recommendations that are not adequately represented in the TPP. This report identified several issues and concerns related to the A -Minor Arterial roadway system. Related to funding, a key finding was that MnDOT is investing significantly less in "A" -Minor Arterials when compared to Anoka and other seven counties within the region. Historically, we have relied on the Regional Solicitation of Federal Funds to fill funding gaps, but this may be in jeopardy because of the lack of consideration they receive in the Draft 2040 TPP. The lack of strategies involving the "A" -Minor Arterial Roadways in the TPP, coupled with changes in the Regional Solicitation selection process will financially strain our County and will not be sustainable. Without a strong "A" -Minor Arterial roadway system, the entire region will suffer as it has been shown that this system is heavily relied on for not just private automobile travel, but also for travel routes for transit and bicycles.