Loading...
Planning Commission - 10/09/2000 - Workshop APPROVED WORKSHOP MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD WORKSHOP MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2000 7:00 p.m., CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road BOARD MEMBERS: Ken Brooks, Frantz Corneille, Randy Foote, Kathy Nelson, Susan Stock, Ray Stoelting STAFF MEMBERS: Krista Flemming, Planner I Stu Fox, Manager of Parks and Natural Resources Alan Gray, City Engineer Mike Franzen, City Planner Scott Kipp, Senior Planner Leslie Stovring, Environmental Coordinator I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE—ROLL CALL Chair Corneille opened the meeting at 6 p.m. Present: Chair Corneille, Commissioners Nelson, Brooks, Foote, Clinton, Stoelting, Koenig, and Stock. Staff: Uram, Franzen, Gray, Newton. II. WORKSHOP TOPICS A. Transportation Plan Alan Gray, City Engineer, said the city was unique with 494, 212, 5, 169, 62 and the new 312. Major regional corridors extend through town. The city has developed a partnership process with Hennepin County. Traffic plan was developed in 1996 and 1997; traffic was forecasted to 2015, estimated build-out. Regional models were programmed in with met council projections. All major corridors exista lot of environmental features exist that would preclude additional corridors. Transportation plan was based on expansion of existing corridors. There is a partnership with MnDOT/Hennepin County; there will be objections from the residential population. When roadway improvements take place there will be various objections; they need to look at the plan as a whole and not just certain parts. If tributary corridors are restricted there will be more traffic on collector streets. Think of the plan as a system that all needs to be developed. The other strategy is supporting regional system improvements. Most corridors are on the county and state system—improved trunk highway 5 and Pioneer Trail Community Planning Board Workshop Minutes October 9, 2000 Page 2 will assist greatly. Financial partnership from state aid assists. Another issue is access management. Capacity and safety of trunk highways is influenced by access. Brooks asked about the number of signals on 212. Gray said there are too many intersections on old 212. There should be a limit on the number of intersections. Access management philosophy if applied 20 years ago would have helped. Developing frontage road systems and having less accesses would help but would be cost prohibitive. The system needs to be developed over time and the plan should be supported although it may not seem correct to neighborhoods. Expanding corridors, supporting regional system improvements, access management, support systems that reduce traffic. Uram said there are a number of property owners there and they have the right to access the highway; the city would have to buy the property. Gray said there was also pedestrian bike traffic. Brooks asked whether with the addition of Grace Church off Pioneer there needs to be a stoplight addition. Gray said that traffic will use Spring Road and Eden Prairie Road and will use the existing signals on Pioneer. Systems to remember are pedestrian bike traffic, mixed use development with office and housing to balance traffic flows, flexible work hours, and car pooling. Foote asked whether Minnetonka had a plan to go forward with County Road 4 because it goes from a four lane to a two lane. Gray said he was unaware of plans by Minnetonka for County Road 4. The scope of this plan is mandated by the Met Council. B. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Randy Newton, traffic engineer, discussed traffic demand management. In the mid 80s I-494 corridor commission worked to have 494 expanded between 694 and the river and to encourage travel demand management. The consensus with shutting off the on-ramps is that traffic will be worse. Traffic Demand Management plans are required for all new office and commercial development. The plans typically include financial incentives and an in-house TDM coordinator. This is being done now through the developers agreement. A formal TDM policy/ordinance is being developed. Community Planning Board Workshop Minutes October 9, 2000 Page 3 The goal of the Golden Triangle Area Demonstration project is to reduce congestion in the area bounded by 212/169/494. There are approximately 26,000 employees in this area. The first step is to get a Transportation Management Association formed to leverage funds, concentrate on TDM, and encourage mixed land use. HOV and general roadway improvements are also an important step. Newton stated they are currently working on a GTA traffic study that evaluates the impact of TDM, mixed land use, and infrastructure on reducing congestion. TDM measures are increased vehicle occupancy, alternative transportation, decrease peak hour trips, and incentives. Southwest Metro Transit is working with some employers in the area to increase carpooling. Mixed land use is something the city can control through the planning process. It can decrease the number of out bound peak hour trips. There are different peak hours of traffic demand between commercial and office.. Infrastructure improvements are needed and include adding capacity and additional access to and from GTA. Additional acess locations include a Washington Avenue bridge, a Flying Cloud bridge, and a full diamond interchange at Prairie Center Drive and 494. HOV improvements include 8 to 9 slip or bypass ramps for high occupancy vehicles. Shady Oak and 212 has been identified as one location. Working with MnDOT on design. Goal is to have project in place by Summer, 2001. Plan may include a bus turnout. Nelson said she looked at the park and ride to move in and out, running a shuttle bus through more congested areas. The problem with the park and ride is getting cars in and out. Newton said there were no specific locations. Gray whole area in Opus needs to get on a regional system. Choices are Bryant Lake Parkway or up through Minnetonka and Hopkins on Shady Oak. We are located on top of a congested intersection. Newton said over 50 % coming to/from the Golden Triangle area are from the east and north. Stoelting asked about the 2015 plan and the arterials. Increased development of Chanhassen, Chaska, and Waconia will impact the traffic in Eden Prairie. He asked whether that was considered in the study. Gray said they had not looked at it in five year increments; there is intuition involved in attempting to figure what projects to do when. They are behind in regional traffic improvement. Nelson said the gas tax needs to go up to 25 cents to do what needs to be done; the situation will get worse. Community Planning Board Workshop Minutes October 9, 2000 Page 4 Gray said the tax goes into the road system, Minnesota has been good about getting federal dollars back. The transportation plan was estimated at$40 million for the city's share. Costs have become higher than estimated. This has to come from new development. Brooks said looking at Eden Prairie, 494, he does not see TDM on a small scale relieving congestion. Gray said the best thing would be carpooling to become socially acceptable. Corneille asked whether the city would adopt a TDM policy? Gray said a policy has been drafted. Uram said one thing the council is proposing is a $400,000 tax levy to fund transportation improvements. Analyzing bus subsidies versus infrastructure shows that infrastructure improvements are clearly better. Stoelting said 212 funding was up to CSAH 4 and asked about 2015. Gray said in the long range improvement plan, 212 is not part of it. The plan is constantly reviewed. Eden Prairie needs to keep trying for funds for 212. The workshop adjourned at 6:59 p.m.