HomeMy WebLinkAbout99-114 - ADMIN Resolution - City Council - 1999/10/04RESOLUTION NO. 99-114
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE
CITY OF ST. LOUIS PARK'S PARTICIPATION IN THE RELOCATION OF
RAILROAD SWITCHES ON THE CP RAIL LINE
BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, as follows:
Section 1. Background.
1.01. Residential neighborhoods within the cities of Minnetonka and St.
Louis Park are experiencing railroad operations noise problems, and the
cities of Minnetonka, Hopkins, and St. Louis Park all find reason to find
solution to railroad issues.
1.02. Studies have been conducted by the three cities, looking for long-
term solutions to railroad disruptions. Discussions have found a potential
short-term solution to the residential neighborhood issue by installing a
switch in a non-residential portion of Hopkins.
1.03. Noise studies have been conducted to determine the impact of
adding a switch in Hopkins, and the studies indicated that the likelihood of
disruptive impacts are minimal.
1.04 The City of St. Louis Park wishes to work with its neighboring
communities to find both short-term and long-term solutions to resolve
these noise issues.
Section 2. Council Action.
2.01. The City Council authonzes the City Manager to enter into the agreements
necessary to provide for the installation and use of a switch for train
blocking purposes on the CP rail line in the area of the
Hopkins/Minnetonka border. The City Council directs the City Manager to
work with the communities of Hopkins and Minnetonka to complete an
operation plan and to implement the conditions authorized in this
resolution. Subject to the following conditions:
1. That the City of St. Louis Park commits a continued effort to find a
long-term solution to the blocking operations that will result in the
removal of the operations from the three cities.
2. That prior to the installation of the switch, the cities of Hopkins,
Minnetonka, and St. Louis Park, together with Twin Cities and Western
Resolution #99-114 2
Railroad Company (TC&W), will agree upon and approve an operational
plan that describes the methodology and usage of the blocking operations
in the three cities. It is assumed in this resolution that the new switch is
used for blocking operations primarily between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and
6:00 a.m., and that blocking operations during other time periods be
shared between Minnetonka and St. Louis Park. It is also assumed that the
switching operations in Hopkins are limited to 60 cars in length. The
operational plan should also address how the operations will improve
traffic disruptions at Excelsior Boulevard and 5th Avenue South. A letter
of commitment from the TC&W indicating its agreement and commitment
to this clause shall be received by the City of St. Louis Park prior to
installation of the switch.
3. The City of St. Louis Park recognizes Hopkins' desire that the use of the
switch be limited to a two-year period from the installation completion
date, after which time, the city of Hopkins will consider an extension
beyond the two-year limit if significant progress is being made to move all
blocking operations to a location outside the cities of Hopkins,
Minnetonka, and St. Louis Park.
4. The cost of the switch installation will be jointly borne by the cites of
Minnetonka and St. Louis Park, with Minnetonka paying a 55% share and
St. Louis Park paying a 45% share of the estimated total short-term cost of
$68,000 to $74,000.
5. The City of St. Louis Park undertakes this financial participation with full
expectation that these dollars will be considered as participation in the
long-term solution.
6. The City of St. Louis Park strongly urges participation by MnDOT
and Hennepin County to be major participants in the development
of a long-term solution which would result in a single rail line
through the three cities.
Reviewed for Administration:
Attest:
Adopted/by/ the
c'1 October 4, 1999
Mayor