6.18. SR 10-20-2003 Howard R. Green Company
Item 6.18.
October 3, 2003
File: 822200J-0325
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
RE: COUNTY~CITY TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSIONS
Dear Council Members:
On Tuesday, September 30, 2003, Dave Schwarting and I held our first monthly meeting to discuss
transportation issues of interest to both Sherbume County and the City of Elk River. We have
established the fourth Tuesday of each month to continue these discussions. Attached is a copy of
the minutes I prepared from this first monthly meeting.
As you can see from the minutes and as we have discussed previously, Mr. Schwarting and I think it
would be productive to have elected officials from the County Board and City Council meet with Dave
and myself on a quarterly basis. Dave has indicated he will attempt to involve the two County
Commissioners who represent Elk River. I indicated that I would ask the City Council for two
volunteers to participate. Mr. Schwarting and I thought it would be appropriate for the elected officials
to participate in a meeting either in October or November. At this point in time, the main issue of
discussion with the elected officials would be the specifics of a contract between the City of Elk River
and Sherburne County to have Elk River undertake the design and construction of County Road 44
(Meadowvale Road). The City rejected the first proposal from Sherbume County, but Mr. Schwarting
believes it is worth discussing further.
If you have any questions regarding the enclosed meeting minutes or any other items of importance
you think should be discussed between the elected officials of the County and the City, I will be in
attendance at an upcoming City Council meeting.
Sincerely,
Howard R. Green Company
urer, P.E.
Terry
TJM:sw
Enclosure
Ltr-100303-Schwarting
1326 Energy Park Drive · St. Paul, MN 55108 · 651/644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389
County/City Engineer Meeting
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Minutes Prepared by Terry Maurer
Monthly Meeting Date and Time
a. Other Attendees
b. Quarterly Inclusion of Elected Officials
Dave Schwarting and I discussed a date and time for a monthly meeting to
discuss issues of common interest between the County and the City. We
established the fourth Tuesday at 9:00 a,m. as the date and time. For the
foreseeable future we decided to meet at the County Government Center
until the City Hall remodeling is complete. We discussed the quarterly
inclusion of elected officials from the County Board and City Council. Dave
indicated he would try to get the two County Commissioners who represent
portions of the City of Elk River. I indicated that I would ask the Council for
two representatives willing to meet with the two County Commissioners and
the County Engineer and I on a quarterly basis. We decided that we would
both ask our elected officials if they are interested in beginning this quarterly
meeting either in October or November.
County Road 44 Reconstruction Status
Dave and I discussed County Road 44's previous history: the proposal that
was presented to the Elk River City Council to lead the design and
construction of that project; the City Council's decision to not accept that
proposal and subsequent discussion I had with Dave regarding the City
Council's consideration of this issue. Dave is still of the opinion that he would
like to try to work out the differences in the proposal to have the City lead that
project through design and construction. It was determined that this would be
a topic of discussion at the first quarterly meeting that elected officials
participate in.
County Road 40 Right-of-Way Plat Status
a. MnDOT Request to Move Project Back a Fiscal Year
I Informed Dave of the City Council's tabling of any action on the County's
right-of-way plat for County Road 40. I also indicated that the City has seen a
concept plan from Centex Homes on the Riverside Development parcel,
which would be key in the County's review of the alignment of County Road
40 to meet CSAH 12 at the Filmore Street intersection. I indicated that we
are willing to meet with the County if we can provide any assistance on this
issue. He said that he would pass that on to his technical staff.
CSAH 12/Twin Lakes Road S JR
I informed Dave that the Elk River City Council has authorized the
preparation of a signal justification report for the intersection of CSAH 12 and
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Twin Lakes Road. This is based on an increasing number of traffic accidents
at that intersection. I told Dave that we would provide the report and any
background information we generate, and we would discuss at that time
further action. Actions could include installing a four-way stop and/or
programming the installation of a signal in a future year.
CSAH 1 Reconstruction Status
I asked Dave what the status of the CSAH 1 project was. He indicated that it
has been divided into two projects: the portion in Elk River and then the
portion north of Elk River. The portion within Elk River's boundaries is still on
the County's plan for 2005. His technical staff is working toward a preliminary
design, detour plan, and phasing plan. Detailed design on final set of plans
has not started yet.
County Road 33 Realignment Project Status
a. Utility Locations
b. Proctor Avenue (County Road 77) Closure Dates
c. Turnback of Old County Road 33 Between TH 169/County Road 77
Dave indicated that he is preparing a memo to send to all the utility
companies regarding relocations. He has talked to all of them. Most have
indicated that as long as Proctor Avenue remains open until the interchange
at County Road 33 and TH 169 is operational, they will be okay with their
relocations. He anticipates that the roadway will be shut down sometime
during the winter months to allow the mining of the aggregate underneath the
roadway to begin. The lowering and realignment of the road will be the
outcome. He indicated that he will forward a copy of the memo to the utility
companies to me when it is finalized and sent.
City Comprehensive Transportation Plan Adoption
a. Coordination of City/County Priorities
We reaffirmed that the City is looking towards a late November approval of
the City's Comprehensive Plan, followed by an adoption of the City's updated
Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The Transportation Plan has been
presented to the County Board at a workshop session earlier this month. I
reinforced with Dave the issues that we have started to discuss in the past
about improving the City/County working relationship, so that we can
implement projects in the future for the movement of traffic in Elk River,
understanding that many of the potential projects identified in the
Comprehensive Transportation Plan will involve County Roads within the
City. Dave and I agreed that at some point in the future there will be some
discussion regarding the County Cost Participation Policy, not to the point of
trying to eliminate it or make major changes, but more to the point of trying to
understand it from the City perspective and get buy-in from both parties
relative to the other's concerns.
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8. Other Business
We briefly discussed whether or not the County will be flying the County to
get new aerial photos in 2004. Dave confirmed that they will be and that the
City, through some cost participation, could receive high-resolution digital
ortho color electronic photographs of the City. I told Dave that I would bring
that message back to Michele McPherson, Director of Planning.
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