1g. Highway 101: Letter of Support for ISTEA Funding.CITY OF I-
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739
June 17, 1997
Mr. James Grube
Director of Public Works
Hennepin County
320 Washington Avenue South
Hopkins, MN 55343 -8496
Dear Mr. Grube:
Charles Folch, Chanhassen City Engineer, has informed me of your recommendation to have the
Cities of Chanhassen and Eden Prairie support a joint application by Hennepin County and
Carver County for the reconstruction of Highway 101 using ISTEA funding. I am placing this
letter onto our city council's agenda for Monday, June 23 as official support for the ISTEA
application recognizing the imminent closing date for submittal of applications. However, you
should also be aware of the fact that the city has not conducted any neighborhood meetings to
ensure that we do have local support for the project, design standards, amenities, etc. By this
letter, I would hereby request that Hennepin County host a neighborhood meeting in Chanhassen
and have the consulting engineers (SRF) respond to neighborhood questions as to the potential
impact of the roadway, including probable design criteria, typical sections, and amenities such as
trails. I am in hopes that your office will authorize one or more neighborhood meetings with the
intent that the item would then be returned to the city council to verify that the city continues to
support the funding of this project through the usage of ISTEA dollars. Again, the City of
Chanhassen would be willing to provide the location for the meeting and would also provide to
you or SRF the addresses of property owners likely to be affected by the project.
In conclusion, I would like to restate that the Chanhassen City Council definitely wants to see
Highway 101 improved and is anxious to see a trail included, minimally, on the western side of
that roadway. However, again, the city council is concerned with providing a non - conditional
type of approval without any form of neighborhood involvement. The process as laid out above
should provide the means by which your office can proceed with making an application while
still giving the City of Chanhassen a means by which our support can be reaffirmed or withdrawn
based on input from the community.
Mr. James Grube
June 17, 1997
Page 2
Thank you again for your continue support to see Highway 101 reconstructed.
Sincerely,
Don Ashworth
City Manager
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