6.9. SR 06-18-2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Summary of Focus Group Meeting - 2 - May 17,2007 Elk River Highway 169 Preliminary Design and Environmental Documentation GREAT RIVER ENERGY Representatives from Great River Energy (GRE) met with Craig Robinson (Mn/DOT), Terry Maurer (City of Elk River), Dave Montebello (SRF Consulting Group), and Brett Danner (SRF Consulting Group) at Elk River City Hall from 10:00 to 11 :30 a.m. The purpose of this meeting was to involve a key stakeholder group from the Elk River community, and to discuss the Highway 10/101/169 interchange and access changes to the GRE site. Focus group discussion is summarized below. . Plans for the Great River Energy (GRE) site were distributed. GRE plans to expand the site as an energy park. Construction on a new peaking plant is anticipated to begin in 2008. Permits are pending on this expansion. A substation on the site will also be expanded. . GRE feels that right-of-way impacts from a new regional interchange (TH 10/101/169) or from conversion ofTH 169 to a freeway will not be a significant issue. GRE has an agreement through 2011 to use a portion of Mn/DOT right-of-way for geothermal heating (underground pipes). This supplies most the heating and cooling to their facilities. The critical issue for GRE will be access to their site. . The BNSF Railway line passes through the GRE site. GRE uses a rail spur to receive heavy equipment. A private rail signal with gate arms is located at the rail crossing between the northern and southern portions of the site. GRE has not experienced any safety problems at their at-grade railroad crossing. . Heavy trucks access the site 24 hours a day. . Employees access the site from all directions (TH 169, TH 10, Main Street). Approximately 60 percent of employees access the site from the north, and 40 percent access the site from the south. . Deliveries typically come from the south and access the site from TH 10. . GRE has experienced cut-through traffic on their site. Motorists are using the GRE site to cut-through from TH 10 to TH 169. GRE is considering gating off their site to prohibit such movements. . ACTION ITEM: GRE will provide an estimate of traffic volumes to/from their site to Terry Maurer. Terry will distribute this information to the project team. Information to be provided includes: RDF (refuse derived fuel) truck count (trucks that transport mixed municipal waste to the site for electricity generation) Delivery truck estimate Trip estimate based on the number of employees planned at the site · Access to the GRE site could be provided from the north at Main Street. A wider roadway section on Main Street is recommended. . Contact Michele Lommel at GRE to obtain plan and profile sheets of transmission structures within the project area. . Support for Alternative A3 and Alternative BC2 as preferred alternatives - provides better access to their site and surrounding properties.