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B TH 212 Discussion with MnDOTCITYOF CHANHASSEN MEMORANDUM TO: Scott A. Botcher, City Manager ~Gg~ Cemer Drit,e, £0 Box 147 'hanhasse~z, Min~mota 55317 l)ho~e 612.937.1900 GcJ~e~d ~x 612. 937.5739 ;gi~;eeri;~g E~.r 612. 932 9152 b/lc S4fi'(l, hzx 612.934.2524 FROM: DATE: SUB J: Teresa J. Burgess, Public Works Director/City Engine.,. ,ek:~> August 14, 2000 Work Session: TH 212 Discussion with MnDOT - PW067C MnDOT will be attending tonight's work session to update the City Council and discuss the issues related to the TH 212 project. The following list of issues was forwarded to MnDOT for tonight's meeting: '1. If construction of TH 212 proceeds in a series of stages and results in a temporary termination in Chanhassen, our existing road infrastructure is insufficient to cope with the additional traffic without considerable investment and significant impact to our community. Since one of the major arguments for TH 212 is that it will serve to pass traffic through the community, the entire length through our city should be built at one time. 2. We need to look at the overall transportation needs on a regional level. The Southwest Corridor Transportation Coalition is championing the completion of TH 212, but this is only one element in the broader context of regional transportation. We should start right now to coordinate these needs. Member cities and counties should appoint representatives to work with MnDOT to craft a well thought out comprehensive plan. 3. Major upgrading of TH 494 must be funded in order to cope with the increased traffic and congestion. 4. It is highly likely that since this road was originally proposed, new approaches and new technology have become available for transportation design, including but not limited to, Light Rail Transport, advanced concepts in mass transit, and new concepts in trunk highway design theory. We would like effort put into looking at viable alternatives and enhancements to the current traditional design. We don't want to see a "394-1ike" trunk highway dividing our city. §. Chanhassen believes that important issues that affect our city should be open and accessible throughout the process. As pressure builds to move forward with aspects of TH 212 planning and right-of-way acquisition, we will schedule regular public input meetings to re- examine, re-study, and re-think how and when to proceed and what the design and character should be. 7itv of Cha~hassen. A rro~,iJtr comm~min, t~,ith c/c~ /,tkes. m~,ditr xchooh. ,~ c3,mJ~im, dot~,mo,cJ~, thrivi~r /msiJ~x~ses. a~d hemttigd ~ark~. ? ~r~',~t ~/,~ce to li~,e. ~¥,'k. a~zd vlav. The land values in the new TH 212 Corridor are escalating dramatically. The Right-of-Way Acquisition Loan Fund (RALF) does not have sufficient cash to enable purchase of all of the remaining parcels of real estate within the foreseeable future. In the interim, the right-of-way should be left in passive park use with potential temporary trail construction if funds can be gathered to accomplish such. Prior to intersection acquisitions, MnDOT and the affected municipalities shall mutually agree on the appropriateness and design of the current proposed intersections. tjb g:\eng\teresa\work sessions\work session staff report - 8-14.doc