Res 1998 - 19 Supporting Design Alternative #4 for the I-35E Lexington Avenue Bridge to Meet Regional Transportation NeedsCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 98-19
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING DESIGN ALTERNATIVE #4 FOR THE
I -35E LEXINGTON AVENUE BRIDGE TO MEET REGIONAL
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has
determined that the condition of the I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge requires that
the Bridge be reconstructed beginning in 2002; and
WHEREAS, the I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge was opened in December
1965 and will be 37 years old by the time of reconstruction in 2002; and
. WHEREAS, the I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge is an integral part of the
regional highway system, linking Dakota County with the City of St. Paul and the
eastern portions of the Metropolitan Region and the City of St. Paul and the eastern
portions of the Region with Dakota County; and
WHEREAS, traffic using the I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge has grown from
16,700 vehicles per day to 72,000 vehicles per day (331 percent) in the last
twenty years and is expected to grow to over 1 15,000 vehicles per day over the
next 20 years; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the structural deterioration of the I -35E Bridge, the
existing two-lane structure with minimal capacity for merging vehicles and minimal
shoulders that provide no room for stalled vehicles does not meet current safety
standards and is inadequate to serve even existing traffic demands without
reaching unacceptable levels of congestion (Level of Service E or F); and
WHEREAS, congestion as the result of inadequate capacity on the I -35E
Lexington Avenue Bridge imposes significant losses to the regional economy and
adverse environmental impacts; and
WHEREAS, the existing I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge discourages transit
use that could reduce single occupant vehicle use in the I -35E corridor and does not
provide bikeway or pedestrian access to connect regional parks and trails on either
side of the Bridge; and
WHEREAS, the existing I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge is inadequate to
promote interconnection of transit opportunities that will be provided by the
Riverview Transit Corridor proposed by the City of St. Paul and Ramsey County and
supported by Dakota County; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation System Plan for the MnDOT's Metro Division
identified the I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge as in need of improvement and
expansion and the I -35E corridor from TH 5 to TH 110 is in need of expansion and
improvement before 2020; and
WHEREAS, in addition to providing for the physical integrity of the I -35E
Lexington Avenue Bridge, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has
identified its concerns with improving the traffic flow on the Bridge; and
WHEREAS, the reconstruction of the I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge to
improve both the physical integrity and flow of traffic on the Bridge is consistent
with key policy directions in the Metropolitan Council's Transportation Policy Plan,
including:
* Replacing and improving the existing highway system by removal of
bottlenecks and bridge replacement;
* Improving the transit system by developing the transitway network;
and
* Expanding highway capacity, with the TH 5 to TH 110 segment of
I -35E identified as an expansion corridor.
and;
WHEREAS, the expansion and improvement of the I -35E Lexington Avenue
Bridge does not contemplate any changes to I -35E north of TH 5, nor will the City
of Mendota Heights advocate such changes as part of the project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Mendota Heights
supports the improvement and expansion of the I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge
beginning in 2002 consistent with MnDOT's proposed Alternative #4; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Mendota Heights strongly
encourages the Minnesota Department of Transportation to design the I -35E Bridge
Lexington Avenue Bridge replacement project consistent with the identification of
the TH 5 and TH 110 corridor, including the I -35E Lexington Avenue Bridge, for
expansion and improvement; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Mendota Heights strongly
supports Alternative #4 and encourages the Minnesota Department of
Transportation to include provisions for:
* Transit;
* Bicycle and pedestrian crossings and interconnections with regional
and local trail systems;
* Adequate entrance and exit lanes to improve traffic movement; and
* Full -width shoulders to improve traffic safety, incident management,
and maintenance.
as elements of the improvement and expansion project; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Mendota Heights strongly
encourages the members of Dakota County Legislative Delegation to join the City of
Mendota Heights in supporting the improvement and expansion of the I -35E
Lexington Avenue Bridge consistent with the needs of the regional transportation
system, of which the Bridge is an integral part.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Mendota Heights this 7th day of April,
1998.
By
ATTEST:
athleen M. Swanson
City Clerk
CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
Charles E. Mertensotto
Mayor