Project Update May 2018 Dakota County, in cooperation with the City of Lakeville, is planning to reconstruct 202 nd Street West (County Road 50) from Holyoke Avenue to Cedar Avenue (County Road 23). 202 nd Street is currently an undivided two lane rural roadway that has substantially deteriorated. This project, also referred to as County Project (CP) 50-23, will reconstruct County 50 as a divided two lane roadway with turn lanes at all public street intersections, trails along both sides of the roadway, and a trail underpass just west of Highview Avenue. The project also includes changes to intersection traffic controls at the following intersections: 1. County 50 & Holyoke Avenue (new roundabout) 2. County 50 & Cedar Avenue (new traffic signal) The City of Lakeville has planned for two roadway projects adjacent to CP 50-23. Those projects include: 1. Hamburg Avenue from County 50 to Lakeville Boulevard City Led 2. Hamburg Avenue from County 50 to 200 th Street West and 200 th Street West from Hamburg Avenue to Cedar Avenue Development Led CP 50-23 and the City reconstruction project are independent projects, but all are planned for construction in 2019. Separate contracts are expected for each of the projects. It may be possible for one contractor to have all three contracts. The reconstruction of Hamburg Avenue (north of County 50) and 200 th Street West will be constructed by development. The reconstruction of 202 nd Street West, 200 th Street West and Hamburg Avenue will provide increased mobility and safety for both current and future residents. Consistent with the City s adopted 2030 Comprehensive Plan and draft 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the City has received several requests for redevelopment of the area surrounding County 50, Highview Avenue, Hamburg Avenue and Cedar Avenue. Below are several developments near CP 50-23: Berres Ridge 4 th Addition approved 3-5-18 Hamburg Heights - Preliminary review Linden Ridge Approved 10-3-16 Cedar Crossing Preliminary approvals Cedar Landing Final addition approved 12-14-15 1
CP 50-23 202 nd Street Reconstruction FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. What improvements are the County and City proposing for County 50 (202 nd Street West)? As part of the traffic evaluation for 202 nd Street West, the County and City reviewed current and future (2030) traffic volumes for County 50 between Holyoke Avenue and County 23 (Cedar Avenue). For County highway reconstruction, the County uses long range forecasts that are based on the adopted city comprehensive plans to account for planned growth. The traffic volumes for County 50 are shown in Table 1.1: Table 1.1 County 50 Holyoke Ave. to Hamburg Ave. County 50 Hamburg Ave. to Cedar Ave. Existing Traffic Volume* 8,900 6,800 2030 Future Volume* 13,600 11,900 * Vehicles per day Table 1.2 shows typical volume capacities for 2 and 4 lane roadways with turn lanes. Note that left turn lanes may be beneficial for safety at volumes less than 10,000 vehicles per day: Table 1.2 Roadway Design Volume Range* 2 lane 300-10,000 2 lane (with left turn lanes) Up to 18,000 4 lane (with left turn lanes) 18,000-35,000 * Vehicles per day In early budgeting meetings, the County and City discussed the potential of constructing County 50 as a four lane roadway. As shown above, the projected volumes ultimately did not support the need to construct 4 lanes. The City is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan, which guides the future development the traffic projections are based on. While changes are proposed to area land use in the updated plan (2040), the 2040 forecasts for County 50 are expected to be very similar to the 2030 forecasts. Based on this evaluation, the County and City are moving forward with a divided 2 lane roadway with turn lanes. With turn lanes at public roadway intersections, center median, and intersection improvements at Holyoke Ave. and Cedar Ave., the roadway is expected to operate acceptably at least 20 years into the future. For reference, the traffic volumes on the segment of County 50 that 2
is currently being expanded to 4 lanes (Kenwood Trail between 185 th Street and Dodd Boulevard) are 18,100 vehicles per day (vpd) between 185 th Street and 192 nd Street and 15,300 vpd between 192 nd Street and Dodd Boulevard. 2. What happens if traffic volumes along County 50 exceed projections? While the County and City do not foresee a 4-lane need by 2040, the improvements are being designed to allow for expansion to a divided 4 lane roadway in the future as easily as possible. To accomplish this, the following design elements have been included: The roundabout at 202 nd Street and Holyoke will be multi-lane in the east/west direction (like Dodd at the Dodd/Highview roundabout) so that future expansion to the east will begin east of the intersection. The storm sewer system is being designed to accommodate the future 4-lanes, including sizing pipes so there will be minimal removal/replacement of the storm sewer system with a future expansion, and sizing ponds to accommodate the 4 lane design. Where possible, trails will be placed to accommodate 4 lane expansion The trail underpass will be sized to accommodate 4 lane expansion Because expected traffic volumes do not require a four lane roadway, the proposed divided two lane roadway is the most cost effective and addresses the needs of the County and City s roadway systems. The two lane design provides less initial upfront costs, and less maintenance costs (pavement overlays, snow and ice control, drainage systems and roadway markings), while safely accommodating expected traffic growth. 3. What is being done at the intersection of County 50 and Hamburg Avenue to improve sight lines? Based on existing sight lines, the County began looking at the option of lowering the entire intersection. The County initially explored lowering the intersection 5-6 feet. After a number of design iterations to ensure safe sight distances, the intersection is now designed to be lowered 11 feet. 4. What type of traffic control is being proposed along the project corridor? a. County 50 & Holyoke Avenue A roundabout is proposed that will have 2 lanes in each direction on County 50 and 1 lane in each direction on Holyoke Avenue. This roundabout will be similar to the existing roundabout at the intersection of County 9 (Dodd Blvd.) and Highview Ave. in Lakeville. b. County 50 & Highview Avenue A side-street stop is proposed at this intersection. Highview Avenue and the entrance to Quigley-Sime Park will stop. County 50 will not. c. County 50 & Heath Avenue A side-street stop is proposed at this intersection. Heath Avenue and the realigned entrance to Aronson Park will stop. County 50 will not. 3
d. County 50 & Hampton Avenue Access at this intersection will be limited to a right in, right out with construction of the median on County 50. e. County 50 & Hamburg Avenue As part of the project, this intersection will be lowered to provide improved sight lines for vehicles at the intersection. Current and future traffic volumes (based on expected development in the area) were reviewed. Volumes are not at the level where a roundabout or a traffic signal would be appropriate (see Table 1.3) to maximize mobility and safety at the intersection. A side-street stop is proposed at this intersection as part of this project, with Hamburg Avenue stopping. If future volumes are greater than expected, a traffic signal could be added when traffic conditions dictate. Table 1.3 Intersection County 50 & Hamburg Ave County 50 & Holyoke Ave County 9 (Dodd Blvd) & Highview Ave County 9 (Dodd Blvd) & County 60 (185 th St) County 9 (Dodd Blvd) & Flagstaff Ave Traffic Control Side-street stop Future Roundabout (2v1) Roundabout (2v1) Recent Signal Future Single-lane Roundabout Entering Volume Volume Distribution 8,735 90/10 16,750 59/41 18,325 75/25 16,150 72/28 16,250 61/39 f. County 50 & County 23 (Cedar Avenue) A traffic signal is proposed at this intersection. 5. What does a divided 2 lane roadway mean and how will it impact owners adjacent to the corridor? The proposed project will construct a center median for safety and mobility along the corridor. Turn lanes will be constructed at each public road intersection. For property owners with driveways on County 50, the driveways will have right-in, right-out access. Residents with limited access will be able to use the full access intersections as needed for U-turns. As traffic volumes along county roads increase, mobility and safety of the traveling public tend to decrease. Managing access is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of crashes on the County system, so the County has adopted access spacing guidelines to provide for safe access throughout the County roadway system. Per the guidelines, full access intersections (all 4
movements allowed) are allowed at ¼ mile spacing and restricted access intersections could be considered at 1/8 mile spacing for roadways like County 50. For residents with direct access to County 50, right-in, right-out movements together with U-turns at intersections provide for safer vehicle movements. To assist with this approach, the County and City are currently reviewing the segment between Hamburg Avenue and Cedar Avenue for a possible intersection location about halfway between Hamburg and Cedar. 6. Will the project require additional right of way from adjacent property owners? If additional right of way is necessary, when will the acquisition process begin? The project will require additional right of way (ROW) from adjacent property owners, including four full acquisitions. The County and City have begun the ROW acquisition process, and the County Board has approved offers for the properties that need to be acquired for both full and partial right of way acquisitions. To provide more time for owners who may be acquired in full and need to be relocated, the County often begins full acquisitions several months sooner than partial acquisitions. The County follows the acquisition process defined by the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Act for all property acquisitions. 7. Do the County and City request outside funding for the construction of the project? Are the County and City required to construct certain roadway elements including trails? As part of minimizing costs for the County, City, residents and property owners, the County and City pursue outside funding as it becomes available. Outside funding helps both County and City extend their limited transportation funding to additional projects. The County and City applied for federal funding for CP 50-23, and the project was awarded $3.2 million dollars in federal funding through a competitive Regional Solicitation process that recognized the safety and mobility needs of County 50. The current estimate for construction of CP 50-23 is $6.5 million. The application request included roadway reconstruction, a trail underpass crossing and trails along both sides of the 202 nd Street. The trails are not a requirement to apply for funding but improve the project competitiveness due to the safety and mobility benefits they provide for non-motorized users. 8. Why are trails included along County 50? It is the County s policy to address all transportation modes with highway projects and to include trails with highway projects in non-rural areas. These policies apply regardless of project funding sources to safely address non-motorized transportation needs. Specific to this segment of County 50, trails and the underpass will help walkers and bikers safely access Aronson and Quigley-Sime Parks along the south side of County 50, and will connect existing trails along County 50 and along Holyoke Avenue with the trail along Cedar Avenue. 9. What will happen with the current cul-de-sac of Hampton Avenue? 5
The Aronson Bluff development was approved under the assumption that Hampton Avenue would connect with County 50 with right turn movements only. Hampton Avenue was therefore designed in a way that it could be connected to County 50 once it was reconstructed, knowing that a median would be added to County 50 and that County 50 would need to be lowered to improve sight lines at the Hamburg Avenue intersection. It should also be noted that Hampton Avenue is too long to meet City ordinance for a cul-de-sac, and the connection will allow for more efficient local trips. 10. Is County 50 former State Highway 50? This segment of County 50 was never State Highway 50. Old State Highway 50 followed Holyoke through downtown Lakeville, then 210 th Street/Lakeville Boulevard to downtown Farmington. The segment of roadway addressed by this project was built in 1959 as County Road 64. In 2005, this roadway was designated as County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 50 to reflect how it was being used by the public as part of a more regional east-west route together with County Road 50 west of Holyoke Avenue. 11. How can I stay informed about CP 50-23? The County considers public and agency involvement an important part of the transportation project development and construction, and an engagement plan is developed specifically for each project. For CP 50-23, the engagement plan includes open houses, one on one meetings, and the project website. Throughout the design process, the County and its project partners hold several public open houses to discuss the project. Residents and owners within a half mile radius of the project are typically invited via mailed and/or emailed invitations. Often, the County hosts neighborhood meetings for residents and owners adjacent to the project corridor to learn about the project and provide input. The County hosts a project webpage to provide information about the project, any upcoming public meetings and to share current design progress. People interested in project updates can submit a request to the County to be included on the project update list. The project update list continues into construction and is used to provide construction updates. To find the webpage for CP 50-23, please go to: www.co.dakota.mn.us (Search 202 nd Street) The project team anticipates an open house late summer to discuss the project staging and proposed detour routes. Upon the County Board authorizing a construction contract, another open house will be held prior to the start of construction, anticipated for spring 2019. 6
Hamburg Avenue Reconstruction 1. The property owners along Hamburg Avenue south of 202 nd Street have requested the City patch or make small repairs to the roadway. Why is the City not making minor repairs but instead reconstructing and urbanizing the roadway? The City s annual pavement management program is designed to maintain/extend the life of public roadways. Best management practices, including roadway patching, have consistently been applied to Hamburg Avenue. Hamburg Avenue, south of 202 nd Street, is at the end of its life, where routine maintenance costs exceed the cost-benefit of the public investment. Hamburg Avenue is programmed to be reconstructed in 2019. Hamburg Avenue, north of 202 nd Street, and 200 th Street, east of Hamburg Avenue, will be improved with the next phase of the adjacent Berres Ridge development. The exact timing of these improvements is unknown, but it s possible they could be constructed in 2019. 2. Will the City be installing watermain with the Hamburg Avenue projects? Will residents be required to connect? Public watermain will installed in coordination with the Hamburg Avenue Reconstruction project in 2019 to minimize costs. The watermain will serve existing residents and future areas of growth, and assist in reliably meeting daily water demands, consistent with the guidelines of the City s Comprehensive Water Plan. City Ordinance (7-5-2) requires property owners to connect to public water within 24 months after it is extended to serve properties. 3. Will property owners along this segment be subject to special assessments for the roadway and watermain? A portion of the public improvements costs (including streets, sidewalks/trails, curb and gutter, storm sewer and water facilities) will be collected through assessments to benefitting properties along Hamburg Avenue, between 202 nd Street and Lakeville Boulevard. An estimate of the amount to be assessed, including individual assessment costs, will be identified in a future feasibility report. MN Statutes Chapter 429 and the City s adopted Special Assessment policy provide details relating to the public involvement process. City staff will conduct a neighborhood informational meeting with property owners in June 2018. 4. Can the residents provide input on the roadway design related to trail/sidewalk location and urban vs. rural? The roadway design will be consistent with State Aid and City standards. Public comments will be collected at the June 2018 neighborhood informational meeting and design details, including trail/sidewalk and urban/rural, will be evaluated in a feasibility report. 7
5. What will be done regarding speeding on Hamburg now and once the road is reconstructed? The City s Police Department is responding to speeding concerns along Hamburg Avenue by increasing enforcement and promoting driver attention/speed awareness through temporary installation of the mobile radar trailer. Potential traffic calming strategies will be evaluated in a feasibility report. New Development 1. The City of Lakeville has several new housing developments. What has caused the rise in development? The City is experiencing significant growth along 202 nd Street and Hamburg Avenue. Development is typically driven by multiple factors the economy and location are two examples. 2. When new developments are submitted to the City, does the City complete a traffic study? If so, does it look at traffic volumes and access points along the roadway? Traffic studies are used in transportation planning but are not a requirement of each new development. Traffic impact studies are typically completed when development proposals require Environmental Assessment studies, generate significant traffic volumes or when a requested land use differs from the City s adopted Land Use Plan. Traffic impact studies typically contain several elements, including estimated traffic volumes and proposed access locations. 3. Are new developments subject to special assessments or does the City require an escrow for future roadway improvements? New developments are subject to fees as required by City Ordinance (10-5). To date, developments along Hamburg Avenue have provided approximately $300,000 in escrowed funds (instead of an assessment) that will be applied to the project. 8