The meeting summary for the CAC meeting and the presentation for the PAC are now up.
Here's a quote from the CAC meeting about the D1/D2 (Woodbury/Lake Elmo) options:
There really isn’t a firm proposal of where the stations and route should go east of 494/694.
Woodbury has raised traffic concerns and recently stakeholders have asked if the project
should cross I-94 at all. Metro Transit was in the process of acquiring land for a park and ride at
Manning Avenue in Woodbury. Woodbury has asked Metro Transit to postpone their plans to
build a park and ride at Manning Avenue so further study of an optimal location can be
evaluated relative to the Gateway project. Every park and ride in Woodbury is over capacity.
Tabitha DeRango stated that one reason that people in St. Paul are interested and are buying
into the Gateway Corridor is so that they can reach jobs in Woodbury. If the route to Woodbury
does not go forward and there won’t be the same access to jobs that is concerning. Beth Bartz
acknowledged that there are plans to expand the Oaks Business Park and Lake Elmo is
concentrating new development along I-94. However, few of these developments exist today.
Tabitha noted that it is difficult to know what kinds of jobs and incomes would be located in the
not-yet-existent development. People would need to use the system every day to get to work; a
walkway across the freeway to jobs in Woodbury does not sound appealing, especially in the
winter. Perhaps shuttles could operate between the stations and the bigger destinations.
This really starts to make it sound as if Lake Elmo may become the preferred option. I think that this would be a mistake. Woodbury has all the retail jobs as well as a lot more residential areas which will attract riders. Lake Elmo is comparatively empty.
The engineering problem was brought up as well. There are three parts of the corridor where there isn't enough room for an at-grade transitway and the freeway. These are at Earl St, Etna St, and the Landfall area. Elevated guideways are being looked into, as well as mixed-traffic operations for the BRT. MnDot also prefers a 20-foot buffer zone between the freeway and the transitway; however, this isn't really an option unless a tunnel or viaduct is built.
http://thegatewaycorridor.com/documents ... Packet.pdf
http://thegatewaycorridor.com/documents ... Packet.pdf
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The scoping for DEIS is underway. Comments will be accepted until April 16th.
Scoping Meetings
Formal public Scoping meetings are
scheduled for the following dates and
locations:
Scoping Open House #1
Monday, March 24, 4:30-6:30 PM
Guardian Angels Church
8260 4th Street N, Oakdale, MN 55128
Scoping Open House #2
Tuesday, March 25, 4:30-6:30 PM
Conway Recreation Center
2090 Conway Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55119
Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
Thursday, April 10, 2:00 PM
Woodbury City Hall
8301 Valley Creek Rd, Woodbury, MN 55125
The PAC will be hearing comments and
accepting comments at their April 10th
Meeting.
http://thegatewaycorridor.com/documents ... 20Book.pdf
http://thegatewaycorridor.com/documents ... Poster.pdf