Agenda - Council Work Session - 05/02/2006

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Untitled Document file:///w:/Untitled- 1.btm A collaborative approach to planning Project Background The City of Ramsay is the first community along Trunk Highway 10 (THI0) in the Twin Cities north metro area to proactively address and implement land use and corridor preservation strategies that will ultimately assist the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and other planning agencies to implement the lnng-term vision and transportation plan for the corridor. These efforts have ganemted momentum among neighboring communities along the corridor, and have fostered further collaboration between local, state and federal agencies. In addition, the City has aggressively developed and implemented a number of plans and projects that demonstrate the community's forward thinking approach to addressing future growth. These activities include the Ramsay Town Center development, the adoption and implementation of an official map, modifications to land use plans/policies, and the advance pumhase of more than $3 million worth of right-of-way needed for access improvements and the expansion of THI0. The City of Ramsay, Anoka County, the Metropolitan Council and Mn/DOT have joined together in an effort to address access management issues along Trunk Highway 10 in Ramsay. Congressman Mark Kennedy, with support from Senators Coleman and Dayton, was able to secure federal funding that would allow the City and its partners to develop preIiminany concepts and designs that would improve safety and mobility along a portion of one of Minnesota's fastest growing corridors. TH 10 provides mobility and access to the residents of Ramsay and serves as a route for commuters, recreational travelem, and freight carriers. The City has a history of working with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) on issues related to TH 10, including the completion of the TH 10 CMP in 2002 which recommended the conversion of the existing four-lane expressway to a six-lane freeway through Ramsay (see below for more discussion on the TH 10 CMP). The planned improvements to TH 10--including the freeway expansion--may not happen for several years. However, given the rate of growth and development currently occurring along TH I 0 in Ramsay, it is important to develop and implement an interim action plan to preserve and protect fight-of-way on TH 10 and maintain the viability of future improvements. Various planning studies completed by local, regional, and state agencies have concluded that increasing growth along the TH I0 corridor warrant improvements to accommodate futures levels of antialpated demand. One of the most significant plans was completed by Mn/DOT in 2001 referred to as the Interregional Corridor Study (IRC Study). As part of the study, a Corridor Management Plan was developed specific to TH 10 and serves as the foundation for planning efforts in this area. TH 10 Corridor Management Plan --Mn/DOT completed the TH 10 CMP on a 4g-mile section of TH 10 between Interstate 35W and Highway 24 under the Interregional Corridor Program. The study identified a number of long-range projects that will allow the roadway to meet the safety and mobility performance objectives defined by Mn/DOT, as well as ensure that the roadway will continue to support the state's economic vitality. The TH 10 CMP identified $114.7 million ($2001) of medium-term projects in Elk River and Ramsay targeted to be completed between 2010 and 2018. Ramsay adopted a resolution endorsing the vision and the TH 10 CMPin January 2002. Specifically, the TH 10 CMP recommended: 1 of 3 4/28/2006 9:02 AM