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Home My WebLink About2013-11-20 PACKET 04.D.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING ITEM # y o DATE 11 /20/201 . — — — — — / PREPARED BY: Community Development Jennifer Levitt ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD ***********�********************************�*** COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST: Consider authorizing submission of a response letter to Washington County to comment on their draft 2014 — 2018 Capital Improvement Plan. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Authorize submission of the response letter. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS � MEMO/LETTER: Draft response letter from Ryan Schroeder. ❑ RESOLUTION: - ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ❑ OTHER: ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS / Date **************************�****��************** Cottage Grove � �� -!� -- -- -- �pSPerityMeet�-- -- -- .. ._. -- -- --- �— �- herePrideandP - -- -- -- - -- --- �- �- November 20, 2013 Mr. Wayne Sandberg, P.E. Deputy D'u•ector Washington County Department of Transportation and Physical Development 11660 Myeron Road North Stillwater, MN 55082-9573 Re: Draft Washington County 2014-2018 CIP Dear Mr. Sandberg, The City of Cottage Grove appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the Washington County Draft 2014- 2018 Capital Improvement Plan. The City recognizes the County's large financial commitment for improving roads and parlc facilities throughout the County in the coming years. Transportation improvements are vital to our city and our region. The City's specific comments on the plan are as follows: Park Projects • Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park (Project Park-4003). We strongly support the continued investment in the park that is proposed in 2015 and 2016 for improvements to the picnic shelter, parking lots and roads in the value of $3.3 million. One of the critical components of the park improvements is the relocation of the parlc entrance. The relocated enhance road will connect to the City's newest developing cornmercial district known as the Cottage View. This connection to our growing commercial area will bring more visitors to the park and unveil this great resouxce to many more users. • Mississippi River Access. A key open space goal for Cottage Grove is enhancement of access to the Mississippi River. An opportunity to achieve this goal is available through development of County owned park land on Lower Grey Cloud Island for a boat launch and related facilities. It would be the City's desire to see the County talce the lead on this parlc development, as we worlc cooperatively to improve access to the river at Lower Grey Cloud Island. Road and Bridge Projects • CSAH 22 - TH 61 to CSAH 19 Mgmt & Safety (Project RB-2564). The City supports improvements to this segment of roadway, which has been studied to provide improved safety and mobility in the corridor. The City is requesting the safety enhancements that are programmed for 2017 be moved forward. The City - appreciates the efforts to provide for improved safety for left turning movements in the fall of 2013, but � given the recent fatality on this corridor, the expanded turning lanes and signalization options cannot be delayed. There have been 69 accidents in this corridor since 2008, The City would request that plans be reviewed to provide for the additional turn lanes and associated road widening at the corridor intersections and signalization at Meadow Grass Avenue. In 2013, Meadow Grass Avenue saw a noticeable spilce in the number of accidents at the intersection. The City has also made enhancements to the adjacent parlc with the addition of a new bike park. This new attraction is drawing many young people and children to the Meadow Grass Avenue intersection to cross at an uncontrolled intersection to go to the park. ' CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE • 12800 Ravine Parkway • Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016 www.cottage-grove,org • 651-458-2800 • Fax 651-458-2897 • Equal Opportunity Employer -- �- -- -- �-Also given the fact that future expansion of the conidor to-four-lanes is not likely to occur within the next �- �- �- decade, the City would request that the traffic signal at Hardwood be upgraded from a temporary pole system to a permanent traffic signal system with enhanced ADA improvements for improved pedestrian safety. A large parcel just to the west of Jamaica Avenue on CSAH 22, known as the Shepard's Wood Farm, was acquired by The Dodge Nature Center. The new use to this historic farm is anticipated to start having programming in the spring of 2014. The farm will now serve as a second campus site for The Dodge Nature Center; this will bring increased traffic to the area, in a section of roadway that is not equipped with turn lanes or good sight lines. The City would request that this area be reviewed for safety enhancements. The City would like to have an Intersection Control Evaluation completed in 2014 for CSAH 22 and 7amaica Avenue to determine if a roundabout is the best solution to meet the growing traffic demands of the area. This intersection control decision is necessary as it relates to the Jamaica Avenue Jurisdictional Transfer and the design of Jamaica Avenue at CSAH 22. Jamaica Avenue/CSAH 20 Jurisdictional Transfer (Project RB-2502), The City's CIl' has the project programmed for construction in 2015. This coincides with the proposed residential development adjacent to t�e roadway. The City has completed a feasibility report for the improvements and has found the cost of the project to be greater than originally planned. The new �roject cost is over $4 million. The City is requesting the County cost participation for this roadway be increased proportionally to the new cost outlined in the feasibility report. It will also be necessary for County funds to be made available in 2015 to coincide with the construction schedule. As part of this jurisdictional transfer, the County will need to review the condition of 65th Street and the safety enhancements that will need to be made in order for the City to talce over ownership under a memorandum of understanding, • CSAH 19 and US TH 61 Interchange (RB — 2515). The City appreciates the County's support of this interchange improvement, especially with the new growth and projected grow in the area for commercial, industrial and residential development. This will be a vital improvement necessary to support the projected growth and demand on the transportation infrastructure. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the plan. We look forward to continued cooperation with Washington County on meeting the capital needs in our community. Sincerely, Ryan Schroeder City Administrator Cc: Washington County Commissioners Cottage Grove City Council Members Molly O'Rourlce, Washington County Administrator Don Theisen, Washington County Public Works Director