I-494 PROJECT UPDATE

1. I-494 PROJECT UPDATE WINTER 2012 - MUNICIPAL CONSENT PRESENTATION

2. GENERAL PROJECT GOALS • Re-surface Interstate 494 from approximatly Trunk Highway 100 to 24th Avenue • Construction of auxiliary lanes on WB I-494 • WB between the entrance ramp from Portland Avenue to the exit ramp to Nicollet Avenue • WB between the entrance loop from NB I-35W to the exit ramp to NB Trunk Highway 100. • Re-construct the Xerxes Avenue Bridge

3. PROJECT SCHEDULE • Project Letting: June 8, 2012 • Construction Start in August of 2012 • Phase I completed in the fall of 2012 • Phase II and Phase III completed in the 2013 construction season • Construction Completion in the Fall of 2013

4. Construction Phase I • Phase I Construction scheduled from August of 2012 to late fall of 2012 • The construction will include • The two proposed auxiliary lanes on WB I-494 • Between Portland Avenue and Nicollet Avenue • Between I-35W and TH 100 • The re-construction of the outside shoulders on EB I-494 and the WB outside shoulders outside of the areas reconstructing the auxiliary lanes. • The reconstruction of the inside shoulders from 24th Avenue to TH 77. • The resurfacing of I-494 from 24th Avenue to TH 77

5. Phase I Traffic Control • Three lanes of traffic will be maintained during construction with the right shoulder being closed. • Will require ramp closures at TH 77, 12th Ave., Portland Ave., Nicollet Ave., I-35W, Penn Ave, and France Ave. • The mill and overlay of I-494 between 24th Ave. and TH 77 will be completed with overnight lane closures.

6. PHASE II CONSTRUCTION • Phase II construction will begin in the spring of 2013 and continue till the summer of 2013 • Phase II construction will include the following work: • Reconstruction of the inside shoulders of I-494 from TH 77 to TH 100 • The dual plate beam guardrail and the curb and gutter will be removed and replaced with concrete barrier • The drainage system in the median of I-494 will be reconstructed to facilitate the modification to the median.

7. PHASE II CONSTRUCTION – TRAFFIC CONTROL • Three lanes of traffic will be maintained on I-494 throughout this phase • Traffic will be moved to the newly reconstructed outside shoulders and auxiliary lanes to provide room in the middle for the proposed work. • Ramp closures may be required based upon the safety of keeping the ramps open.

8. PHASE III CONSTRUCTION • Phase III construction will occur in the summer of 2013 and last until the fall of 2013. • Phase III construction will resurface I-494 between TH 100 and TH 77. • Traffic control for this phase will be four weekend closures of I-494 • One weekend for EB I-494 between TH 100 and I-35W • One weekend for WB I-494 between TH 100 and I-35W • One weekend for EB I-494 between I-35W and TH 77 • One weekend for WB I-494 between I-35W and TH 77

9. XERXES AVENUE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION • The Xerxes Avenue bridge construction scheduled from Fall of 2012 to late Spring of 2013 • Intersections located at 78th Street and Southtown Boulevard will be maintained until approaches to the new bridge will be constructed. • The detour for the Xerxes Avenue Bridge will be via France Avenue, Penn Avenue, 76th Street, and American Boulevard. • The construction will require one weekend closure of I-494 between TH 100 and I-35W for the removal of the bridge in the fall of 2012.

10. PROJECT ISSUES • Proposed typical section under the Xerxes Avenue Bridge • I-494 as a managed facility • Access to Xerxes Avenue from Interstate 494

11. I-494 TYPICAL SECTION UNDER XERXES AVENUE BRIDGE • The proposed geometrics of the Xerxes Avenue Bridge as part of the 2001 FEIS would require the acquisition of right-of-way, retaining walls, and extensive reconstruction of Southtown Boulevard. • The typical would provide all the current lanes of I-494 (EB and WB) to be in the WB portal of the newly constructed bridge. • This additional scope would make the reconstruction of the Xerxes Avenue bridge fiscally un-attainable. • MnDOT’s 20 year Transportation Improvement Plan and the Metropolitan Council’s Transportation Policy Plan does not identify expansion of I-494.

12. XERXES AVENUE TYPICAL SECTION CONT. • The proposed typical section under the proposed bridge provides for the provision of six lanes in each direction • The only thing not provided by this typical section is the reservation of 26 ft. for future transportation use in the median of I-494. • Based upon the vision provided in Mn/DOT’s and the Metropolitan Council’s plans and the flexibility provided by the proposed typical section, it is a reasonable risk to move forward with the proposed design of the Xerxes Avenue Bridge. • MnDOT, The City of Bloomington, The City of Richfield, and other project stakeholders will be entering into an endeavor to further study the I-494/I-35W interchange. As part of that study, we will review the need to reserve the 26 feet for future transportation use on the I-494 Corridor.

13. I-494 AS A MANAGED CORRIDOR • MnDOT’s 20 year Highway Improvement Plan and the Metropolitan Council’s Transportation Policy Plan identify I-494 as a Tier II Managed Corridor. • State Law prohibits the conversion of a general purpose lane to a managed lane. • Our intent is to add the proposed auxiliary lane on WB I-494 between TH 100 and I-35W as a general purpose lane. • We would like to include language as part of the resolution providing municipal consent for the proposed project to reserve the capacity added to I-494 for the future conversion to a managed lane.

14. I-494 AS A MANAGED CORRIDOR CONT. • The requested language for the resolution is as follows: • Whereas, the City believes the implementation of a managed corridor on Interstate 494 should only be considered at such time when analysis confirms that the managed lane costs and benefits are positive and consistent with the MnPASS System Study-Phase 2, and • Whereas, the City believes that the management strategy for the Interstate 494 corridor should consist of a segment of roadway that provides a logical starting point and a logical terminus supported by analysis. • Be It Also Resolved The City supports the construction of the proposed auxiliary lane on Interstate 494 and the reservation of that capacity for the conversion to a managed lane as part of a corridor-wide managed lane initiative

15. Access at Xerxes and I-494 • A question was raised with respect to the provisions of access to Xerxes Avenue from Interstate 494 • The spacing between Penn Ave. and Xerxes Ave. is approximately ½ Mile • The spacing between France Avenue and Xerxes Avenue is approximately ½ mile. • “On freeways where interchanges are most common, the operational efficiency of the interchange tends to govern the entire freeway and therefore represents the greatest hindrance to the efficient flow of traffic, which is the functional purpose of the freeway.” (MnDOT RDM)

16. Xerxes Avenue Access Cont. • AASHTO: 2001 “Policy on Geometric Design of Highway and Streets” states that interchange spacing should be determined by weaving volumes, ability to sign, signal progression, and length of speed change lanes. • It also defines a general rule of thumb for spacing on urban facilities as one interchange per mile. • MnDOT’s Road Design Manual identifies the desired interchange spacing of 1 mile between interchanges in urban areas. • MnDOT’s Road Design Manual also recommends the use of collector distributor roadways for interchanges spaced at closer intervals.

17. QUESTIONS?