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III. FUTURE CONDITIONS <br />As indicated in the previous section, there are a number of factors that influence how a roadway <br />and/or a system functions. Because these facilities take a long time to plan and construct, and <br />because they are expected to serve future demands, it is important to evaluate them for future <br />conditions (growth trends and other expected changes). Evaluating the corridor for these future <br />conditions will enable the study partners to develop and work towards a plan that meets the long- <br />term needs of the area. This section of the report highlights the future conditions that will <br />significantly influence the function of County Road 116. <br />General Land Use <br />Future land use along the corridor is likely to look significantly different than it does today. <br />Currently most of the land is zoned for agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, park and <br />public/institutional; however, many areas are currently vacant or in agricultural use. In the <br />future, most of the land within the study area is expected to be developed and will have higher <br />and denser land uses than the vacant and agricultural land that currently exists. These higher <br />uses will increase the traffic demand on County Road 116 and on other routes in the area. <br />As an example, a mixed -use development on the western end of the study corridor is planned. <br />Generally speaking, mixed -use developments have higher land use densities and have the <br />potential to generate more trips in a smaller amount of space. As a result, it is important to <br />ensure that adequate facilities exist to carry the additional traffic and that streets entering and <br />exiting the development are adequately spaced to ensure proper circulation. Figure 13 shows <br />planned future land uses along the corridor. <br />Corridor Context and Future Functional Classification <br />County Road 116 is one of the few east -west corridors that can provide east -west mobility and <br />support other east -west corridors such as TH 10, TH 242 and CSAH 14. In the future, it is likely <br />that County Road 116 will be extended westerly and connected directly to TH 10. According to <br />the TH 10 Interregional Corridor Study, it is recommended that this future connection include a <br />new Mississippi River crossing. The potential location for the new river crossing has been <br />supported by the City of Ramsey and Anoka County. In addition to recommending a new <br />Mississippi River crossing, the TH 10 IRC Study recommends converting key access points on <br />TH 10 to interchanges. This change will place additional burdens on east -west routes as local <br />access points are closed along TH 10. <br />In addition to changes associated with TH 10, plans have been made by Anoka County to <br />upgrade County Road 116 to a four -lane roadway throughout most of the study area. The only <br />sections in the study area not previously identified for expansion to four lanes is the area between <br />Tower Pond Drive and TH 47 and the area from County Road 56 (Ramsey Boulevard) to <br />CSAH 83 (Armstrong Boulevard). Figure 14 shows the proposed changes to TH 10, <br />County Road 116 and other roadways in and around the study area. <br />SRF Consulting Group, Inc. - 29 - February 2004 <br />