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Steering Committee Minutes <br />September 22, 1994 <br />Page 2 <br />are needed and which ones could be eliminated, and also, signalization needs. <br />Terry Maurer indicated that they hope to complete the study in 8-9 months. <br />Waco Street Bridge - High priority --there currently are plans to acquire land in this <br />area for access. <br />Terry Maurer explained the need for an access to funnel traffic from this area <br />north to Highway 169 bypassing the downtown area. Also this bridge will provide <br />a quicker emergency response time to the area north of Elk River. Terry stated <br />that they will possibly use State Aid funds to identify right-of-way, and they are <br />working with Mn/DOT on the bridge issues to locate funding. <br />East Highway 169 Frontage Road - The City Council has authorized a study of <br />commercial traffic flow east of Highway 169 from Main Street up to 197th Avenue. <br />Terry stated he will have a response back to the Council some time next month. <br />Other Issues <br />Current Municipal State Aid (MSA) System <br />Aid IMSAI System <br />Terry Maurer explained that MSA is a method whereby gas taxes are funneled <br />back to cities with populations over 5,000. Larger cities have traffic that uses the <br />roads but does not pay taxes there. The gas tax helps fund roads adequate in <br />size to carry the traffic. The City is allowed to have approximately 20 percent of <br />its total mileage on the system. As the City grows in population, more streets are <br />added. He cited the following streets with MSA designation: 221st Avenue, Tyler, <br />Fillmore, Waco, the Snake Trail, 173rd, Orono Parkway to Joplin, the Industrial Park, <br />School Street and Highland Road. Terry explained that when the Transportation <br />Plan is finalized, the designation of some of these streets may be changed. <br />Terry Maurer explained that the goal of the MSA system is to end up with an <br />integrated system of trunk highway all the way down to municipal streets. Terry <br />further explained that an MSA street must begin and end on either a trunk <br />highway, a County State Aid road, or another Municipal State Aid Highway. He <br />noted that the City of Elk River receives approximately $350,000 per year in gas <br />tax. There are approximately 22Yz miles of streets in the City's MSA system. Each <br />year this is increased due to new developments. Nine percent of the State' s gas <br />tax is funneled back to the approximately 110 cities in the State with populations <br />over 5,000. One-half of the 9 percent is distributed to the cities per capita, and <br />the other half is based on needs. Need is determined by the dollar amount that <br />would be needed to bring MSA streets in a particular city up to MSA standards. <br />Dick Hinkle questioned whether it was true that the City must assess 20 percent of <br />road construction costs in MSA projects. Terry Maurer stated that the 20 percent <br />rule applies to bonding for improvements. He explained that 20 percent must be <br />assessed, or a referendum must be held. Also, he stated that if 50 percent is <br />assessed and the other half paid by tax dollars, a referendum is not required. <br />Further discussion followed regarding the need for arterial roads. Terry Maurer <br />explained that the City hopes to work with Sherburne County on a plan so. that <br />arterial roads running through the City of Elk River can be connected to arterial <br />roads through other parts of the county. Chair Minton asked for more detail on <br />the plans for the east -west arterial road, identified as "A". Terry Maurer explained <br />