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Councilmember Shryock agreed that Anoka County felt doing the projects together would result <br />in a negligible savings but the issue may be multiple closures within one area. She stated the <br />City also needs to be cognizant in how that comes across to our other partners who feel they <br />should be next in the funding. She stated by receiving rail crossing funds, other funds may <br />follow if the project is ready. <br />Councilmember Williams stated the disruption to residents and businesses is not being quantified <br />if the County's reaction is that the cost difference is negligible. She stated the cost to businesses <br />is quantifiable and she thinks it should be considered. Councilmember Williams stated if the <br />City is not asking for the Sunfish/Ramsey Boulevard interchange, is this a piece towards the <br />grade separation. She stated she works for a railroad and thinks cities often underestimate the <br />cost of grade separation projects. Councilmember Williams stated she would like more of a <br />discussion to determine if additional funding can be requested for both intersections. She wants <br />to be efficient with our time, business and resident disruptions, and funding resources. <br />Mr. Tinklenberg stated as he proposed this initially, the $5 million was part of a larger funding <br />package. There was discussion at the time of the Armstrong Boulevard event with the County <br />about money being available to do one grade separation at the railroad in Ramsey that was <br />estimated at $11 million to construct. The County indicated it had commitment for additional <br />CTIB funding for an underpass and then looking at additional State funding of $5 million that <br />would be part of the package. Mr. Tinklenberg explained that when the work is being done on <br />the underpass, work could be done on the interchange as well. He stated if you look at 7 <br />Avenue in Anoka (that goes under the railroad) and overlay the distance of where it returns to <br />grade onto Sunfish Boulevard on the Highway 10 side, it will be right at the intersection so <br />constructing that will have an impact. He explained that the underpass will shut down Ramsey <br />Boulevard and the interchange will disrupt that access so it will have a significant impact. <br />Mayor Strommen stated that is a fair concern to raise but her issue is in the sequence that was <br />established in how these projects move forward. It was to be Armstrong, then Thurston/Fairoak <br />Avenues, then other considerations. She noted that Ramsey was brought to the forefront due to <br />discussion on the rail safety issue, as noted by Councilmember Kuzma earlier. She stated it is <br />not the intersection itself that is providing the opportunity to come forward at this time. She is <br />concerned that while it may create efficiencies in one place, there is not the same opportunity. <br />Mayor Strommen stated she is concerned about spending a long time trying to get something <br />done when there is not a single strategy. She noted that when the opportunity to allow the <br />project to come forward is the rail crossing, it is the most important piece to get done. <br />City Administrator Ulrich stated all projects happen incrementally and if Ramsey gets $5 million <br />for the rail crossing it will provide momentum to get funding for future road improvements and <br />planning. The other point is that Anoka County said it would be better to build both grade <br />separations at the same time so that is another option, to try to get funding for both Sunfish <br />Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard. <br />Councilmember Riley stated as Mayor Strommen pointed out, when we were not pushing in the <br />same direction, it assured no one got anything done. He stated Ramsey may have its own project <br />City Council Work Session / March 10, 2015 <br />Page 7 of 11 <br />