Agenda - Council - 02/27/2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Staff recommends establishment of a Highway 10 Steering Committee, similar to that created for the Comprehensive Plan Update. This has been a successful tactic in creating a collaborative approach. The proposed structure would be a mix of Highway 10 Business Owners and Property Owners, members of the community at large, and representatives from Ramsey Boards and Commissions. Staff believes this will improve the effectiveness of involvement and collaboration, where previous efforts have been less successful on this topic. Resilient Communities Project (RCP) Implementation Strategies The City has partnered with the University of Minnesota through its Resilient Communities Project (RCP). One of the projects RCP worked on was Highway 10 planning and outreach. Staff will share multiple ideas that could be good supplements to this effort. Strategic Plan Initiative - Improve the Image of Highway 10 Staff will also use this structure to supplement a parallel planning effort focused on future land use and improvements to private properties. Staff has been directed by City Council to create a plan to improve the image of Highway 10. The two topics are interrelated and can occur parallel to each other to avoid duplication. Frequently Asked Questions MnDOT and Anoka County completed the Highway 10 Access Planning Study; Why is this additional work necessary? This step is necessary in establishing a single vision for the corridor. The previous study efforts were a high-level exploration with multiple alternatives. The City must now study these alternatives in more detail to determine a single vision. This single vision is necessary in order to access funds for right-of-way acquisition. The lack of a focused vision has created significant frustration from corridor stakeholders from multiple perspectives. Projects in Anoka are likely to commence on or about 2021 (approximately $40 Million has been secured for Anoka projects). Ramsey needs to be positioned to be ready to upgrade its infrastructure to address new traffic patterns. How is this planning effort different than the previous study? This study focuses on Ramsey's plan, while still working within the broader coalition (Ramsey, Anoka, Coon Rapids). This planning process will also model future growth and traffic forecasts, where the previous study only looked at existing conditions. Additional growth is expected in Ramsey, so this planning effort will ensure the investments are designed for future capacity. The rail crossings were not introduced to the previous study until later in the process. Based on initial exploration, additional planning and design is necessary to determine the feasibility and prioritization of these crossings. Are there cost savings associated with building off the previous study? Yes. There are significant cost savings in terms of environmental screening, existing conditions exploration, mapping, and public engagement. Why wasn't a full Request for Proposals requested for this particular project? The City has previously done a Request for Proposals for Engineering Services for this purpose. This created an 'Engineering Pool' that allowed the City to negotiate proposals directly with firms in the pool and ensure a competitive rate. Additionally, Bolton and Menk completed the Highway 10 Access Planning Study on behalf of MnDOT and Anoka County as well as the Anoka Solution on behalf of the City of Anoka. Given this firm's familiarity with the project, there are considerable cost savings without needing to step back to the scoping and data collection step. While somewhat difficult to quantify, it is possible that these cost savings could be quantified in the $25,000 to $50,000 range. Alternatives Alternative 1: Authorize the Work Order as presented. Alternative 2: Authorize the Work Order with changes.