Minutes - Parks and Recreation Commission - 02/11/2016

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5. COMMISSION BUSINESS 5.01: Recommend Development of a Cost Share Agreement with Anoka County Parks and Metropolitan Council for the Mississippi Skyway Parks & Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood reviewed the purpose of this case is to recommend to City Council that staff be directed to work towards the development of a multi- jurisdictional cost share agreement for the pedestrian bridge proposed to connect the Northstar Rail Station in The COR, with the regional trail and park on the south side of Highways 10 and 169. The proposed pedestrian bridge has been shown as part of the Master Plan and Trail Plan for decades. In 2012, an elevated skyway was completed from the municipal parking ramp over Veteran's Drive at the time of rail station construction. Following that, $100,000 was awarded to the City of Ramsey from Metropolitan Council's Transit Oriented Development program, resulting in the Preliminary Engineering work for the rest of the Mississippi Skyway. Subsequent to the above progress, in 2014 the City of Ramsey received $490,000 from the National Park Service to be used for the Mississippi Skyway. The pedestrian facility at present, spans Veteran's Drive and both of Burlington Northern Santa Fe's railroad tracks —representing millions of dollars in regional partnerships connecting transportation systems, to residential and commercial areas as well as recreational destinations. Also in 2014 was the completion of the Highway 10 Access Planning Study, which outlines a detailed strategy "...to identify high-benefit improvements that are fiscally responsible so that improvements can be funded, programmed, and implemented incrementally. The price paid for waiting for funding to construct expensive, comprehensive improvements will be continued congestion, numerous conflict points and continued severe and fatal crashes. " One of the incremental projects identified within the Highway 10 Study was the extension of Riverdale Drive from Traprock Street (the entrance to Mississippi West Regional Park) to Ramsey Boulevard. This street right of way (ROW) needed for Riverdale Drive would be approximately 5 acres, "taken" (also called a"conversion") from the regional park. Mississippi West Regional Park is owned and managed by Anoka County Parks under the structure and guidelines of Metropolitan Council as a regional park. One of these guidelines are that mitigation needs to occur for the acquisition or conversion of park land. Parks and Public Works Superintendent Riverblood reviewed a power point presentation summarizing the project before the Commission. He reviewed the frontage road project, which runs alongside Highway 10 and 169. This area is +/- 5 acres. Mr. Riverblood showed the proposed Mississippi Skyway on a drawing. The Master Plan Estimated Development Costs would propose moving Phase 5 up to Phase 3. Mr. Riverblood showed on a map the incapacitating injury and fatal injuries crashes along Highway 10 and 169 in Ramsey. Park and Recreation Commission/February 11, 2016 Page 2 of 4