HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012/05/07 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session Jif St. Louis Park OFFICIAL MINUTES
MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
ST. LOUIS PARK,MINNESOTA
MAY 7, 2012
The meeting convened at 6:00 p.m.
Councilmembers present: Mayor Jeff Jacobs, Steve Hallfin, Anne Mavity, Julia Ross (arrived at
6:12 p.m.), Susan Sanger, Sue Santa, and Jake Spano.
Councilmembers absent: None.
Staff present: City Manager (Mr. Harmening), Communications Coordinator (Mr. Zwilling),
Director of Public Works (Mr. Rardin), City Engineer(Mr. Brink), and Recording Secretary(Ms.
Hughes).
1. Project Update- Highway 100 Reconstruction Project
Mr. Brink presented the staff report and presented the tentative project schedule, noting that a
public open house will be held on May 15th at the high school; in addition, informational
meetings were recently held for residents most impacted by the project. He stated that the Noise
Advisory Committee has met to hear from Mn/DOT and the noise consultants regarding the
public process for installing noise walls. He stated that Mn/DOT's analysis indicates that noise
walls will be part of the project and Mn/DOT will go back out to the public later this summer to
explain how residents can keep or take out the noise walls. He indicated that Mn/Dot is working
toward achieving municipal consent from the City this fall, leading to plans and specifications,
nght-of-way acquisition, and construction in 2015. He presented the most recent diagram of the
project layout and stated one of the questions that has been raised has to do with what happens to
the extra space when the existing ramps come out. He explained that Mn/DOT is performing
drainage analysis in this area and noise walls are proposed to be installed in this area. He also
pointed out that the layout provides for removal of the ramp from westbound Highway 7 to
southbound Highway 100.
Councilmember Spano asked if Mn/DOT will retain the right-of-way in the existing off-ramp
from southbound Highway 100 onto Highway 7. He questioned whether it would be possible to
expand the park in this area.
Mr. Bnnk replied that this will depend on whether Mn/DOT needs the land and stated the City
could consider expanding the park if excess land is available. He then discussed the tight
diamond interchange at Minnetonka Boulevard and Highway 100 and noted that the biggest
difference is that dnvers exiting onto Minnetonka Boulevard from southbound Highway 100 will
no longer end up behind the Holiday station.
Councilmember Sanger asked if Mn/DOT will take the car wash from the Holiday station.
Mr. Bnnk explained that the Holiday station will lose its access off of Minnetonka Boulevard
and Mn/DOT will have to acquire property from Holiday but it is not yet known how much of
the Holiday property will be impacted. He stated that Mn/DOT has been talking with residents
along Utica Avenue and any work in this area would be a separate project. He noted that people
have been generally favorable of the proposed layout. He stated that residents along Toledo
were a little disappointed that the street/alley behind their homes will be narrowed but these
residents will still have access to their garages. He indicated the City has stressed the importance
of bicycle and pedestrian movement to the County and Mn/DOT and alternatives will be flushed
Special Study Session Minutes -2- May 7, 2012
out at the public meetings. He then presented the results of the noise analysis which indicate a
noise wall will be required to extend north of the project area because of the apartment buildings
that fall within the range of the project area. He noted that placement of the noise walls is
preliminary and the exact location has not yet been determined.
Councilmember Mavity stated she can live with the proposed layout but expressed continued
concern about north-south connections. She stated that Council has discussed adding a north-
south connection as one of the goals of this project and was previously told during its discussions
regarding light rail that if the City does not get a north-south access through the Highway 100
project, a north-south access might be provided as part of another project. She stated the only
option appears to be Raleigh Avenue but those plans do not appear to be anywhere near
realization. She indicated this provides no guarantee that light rail will address the north-south
access, adding that Ottawa Avenue is entirely inadequate for this access.
Mr. Rardin indicated that Community Development has been meeting with SRF and is actively
pursuing the north-south access.
Councilmember Mavity stated that Raleigh Avenue has been presented as the best option for
traffic flow but this represents a big change in how this area functions. She expressed concern
about agreeing to Raleigh Avenue as the north-south access if the consultants determine that
Raleigh Avenue will not work for this purpose and was worried the City might lose its
opportunity to get a north-south connection during the Highway 100 project. She stated at one
point the layout showed a two-way frontage road on the east side of Highway 100.
Mr. Rardin indicated that Mn/DOT had issues with a two-way frontage road and did not sign off
on the frontage road. He stated the earlier studies indicated that a frontage road will exacerbate
traffic flow at the intersection with Minnetonka Boulevard.
Councilmember Sanger agreed with Councilmember Mavity's concerns regarding a north-south
connection. She asked whether this design leaves enough room for a north-south bike trail on
the east side of Highway 100 going north from Minnetonka Boulevard. She also asked about the
City's cost share with Mn/DOT on the project and asked if Mn/DOT has made a final
determination about the taking of properties and whether that decision has been communicated.
Mr. Rardin stated the City's share of project costs is fairly minimal and would not include the
rebuilding of Utica Avenue. He noted the utility costs for Utica Avenue have been built into the
CIP and is approximately $2 million. He stated the City will also participate in the cost of the
intersection at Lake and Vernon and Minnetonka Boulevard and is estimated at $200,000. He
advised it was his understanding that Mn/DOT is able to live within their right-of-way on Toledo
Avenue and the only property impacted is the Holiday site.
Mayor Jacobs stated he would like to have something definitive from Mn/DOT regarding the
Toledo Avenue properties.
Mr. Rardin stated that Mn/DOT will continue gathering input and will then bring the final layout,
including right-of-way acquisition, to the City for municipal consent later this summer.
2. Beltline Boulevard Trail Improvement Options
Mr. Rardin presented the staff report and asked what the problem is. There are several possible
options for infrastructure improvements depending upon what Council feels is wrong and what
outcomes they would like to see.
Special Study Session Minutes -3- May 7, 2012
Councilmember Mavity stated there is a complete lack of clarity for drivers and trail users in this
area; in addition, trail user safety as currently laid out is compromised and the current crossing is
not sufficiently safe.
Councilmember Sanger agreed that safety is severely compromised in this area and stated that
the expectations currently placed on drivers and trail users are different than the expectations
placed on them in other communities. She added the City is not in harmony with other
communities and has contributed to the confusion. She stated the current problem needs a
temporary solution because the only viable long-term solution is a grade separated crossing.
Councilmember Santa stated that drivers and trail users in this area do not know what to do and
traffic flow on Beltline is compromised. She indicated she has seen people driving along
Beltline and because there is no marked crosswalk, they believe they have the right-of-way until
bikes come through the intersection.
Councilmember Spano stated the City is likely not the first community to have confronted this
issue and pointed out a recognized authority looked at the intersection and has presented two
options to Council for improving safety in the area. He felt the real challenge for the City is to
get everyone on the same page as it relates to trail crossings.
Councilmember Ross stated that the consultants felt that painted crosswalks were not an option
and provided Council with their suggestions for improving the intersection.
Councilmember Mavity indicated the consultants said painted crosswalks were not an option
without other additional improvements such as a traffic signal.
Councilmember Sanger stated one of things that appalled her about the expert's suggested
solution was that there was nothing that addressed educating drivers about their obligations.
Mr. Rardin stated if the City wants to give trail users the right-of-way this will have to be a
marked crosswalk and signalized intersection, which will impact traffic flow on Beltline. He
noted that the activation of a signal would also have to be tied into the railroad crossing.
Councilmember Mavity stated that narrowing the roadway to two lanes might work as indicated
in Option 4.
Mayor Jacobs stated that Option 4 would impact traffic flow and did not agree that this option
would work.
Councilmember Hallfin suggested adding signage for drivers to make it clear that trail users have
to stop and street traffic has the right-of-way.
Councilmember Ross felt that Option 3 was the cheapest alternative and appeared to make the
most sense in the short term. She added that Council will revisit this issue once light rail comes
through.
Councilmember Sanger stated she did not agree with Option 3 and was vehemently against this
option. She stated it was important to remember that a trail user has nothing to protect them in a
crash and the City needs to provide a way for trail users to operate safely and in the same manner
Special Study Session Minutes -4- May 7, 2012
as in other communities. She felt that Option 3 would waste $150,000 and would do nothing to
make this a safer crossing.
Councilmember Hallfin stated residents have told him that the issue is that the crossing is
confusing and nobody knows what to do. He felt that adding signs on the trail telling trail users
what they are supposed to do would help and stated he was in favor of Option 3 with the addition
of some signage that gives clear direction to drivers.
Councilmember Mavity stated that Option 3 simply provides four more feet in the median but
the nature of the crossing does not change. She felt if the City was going to spend $150,000, a
signalized crossing with a crosswalk should be installed because this will tell everyone exactly
what they are supposed to do and would provide absolute clarity for drivers and trail users.
Councilmember Spano agreed that Option 3 does not change what is happening inside the street
but it does provide a wider median and by changing the trail user's approach to traffic, it
hopefully makes them more aware of traffic in the area.
Mayor Jacobs and Councilmembers Hallfin, Ross, Santa, and Spano were in favor of Option 3.
Councilmember Mavity requested that the minutes state that Council indicated at the beginning
of this discussion that complexity or confusion was the main problem with the Beltline crossing.
She noted that Option 3 is the only solution that does not appear to address the complexity issue.
Councilmember Sanger suggested that the City install a sign before spending $150,000 to see if
it makes any difference in driver behavior and whether people stop with any consistency.
Councilmember Spano stated that Option 3 does not preclude the City from moving to Option 2
and installing a signalized interchange in the future.
It was the majority consensus of the City Council to proceed with Option 3 - street users have
priority (right-of-way) over trail users (4-lane street) and to install additional signage as
appropriate.
Mr. Harmening noted that staff will need to consult with the City Attorney regarding signage.
The meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m.
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Nancy Stroth, ity Clerk Jeff Ja , M yor