6. EDSR 05-11-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~Gl~~'~4U~ID The master plan for the 71st Avenue FAST exists in the context of major transportation planning efforts for the primary transportation corridors through Elk River. These transportation planning studies and their outcomes are critical in defining the future land use direction for the 71st Avenue FAST. Key decisions on land use will likely be determined by the location of a future interchange for Highway toJi6g, as over time the corridor transitions to a limited access freeway and all existing accesses are eliminated. The following is a review of the transportation and land use planning efforts related to the 71st Avenue FAST. zooz Inter-Regional Corridor Management Plan In 2002 MN DOT, working 4vith input from the city of Elk River, completed an Inter- Regional Corridor Management Plan identifying alternative strategies for upgrading Highavay ~oJ~69 south of Highway toy in Elk River to a limited access freeway. The study identified t4vo options for a future six lane freeway alignment;'Alignment A' essentially running parallel to the rail line roughly 400' away and `Alignment B' the existing Highway ~oJi69 corridor. The study also identified two interchange locations within Elk River between Highway poi and the eastern boundary of the community for either alignment. One would be located near Jarvis Street and the other near 65th Avenue. While the planning effort was completed in 2002, MN DOT still has not identified any funding for this project in their 3o year capital improvements program. Highway 4o&t69 Preliminary Design and Environmental Documentation Study Currently underway are two MN DOT studies funded by the City investigating ways to solve traffic bottlenecks in Elk River along Highway ~o heading west through historic downtown, Highway i6g heading north through a major commercial area of the community, and the poi & ~oJi6g interchange. The two studies identify a preferred reconstruction plan for the major interchange at ~o~ and toJ~69, the Main Street and School Street intersections along Highway ~6g and the intersections along Highway io moving through the downtown area west to Lake Orono. Amore detailed review of these regional transportation planning efforts are discussed in the assumptions chapter of this report. Elk River Comprehensive Plan In 2003 the city of Elk River completed a Comprehensive Plan update for the community. At the time of the update much of the land within the FAST project was undeveloped. In general, the City designated highway commercial uses along the Nigh~Nay ioJ~69 corridor with light industrial uses beyond. North of the rail line high density housing was selected as the future land use. Two additional transportation initiatives were identified as part of the Comprehensive Plan update. The first initiative was to create a connection between ~7ist Avenue and 165th Avenue through the extension of Ttivin Lakes Parkway, and the second was to investigate a roadway connection between CSAH 72 and Highway ioJ~6g on the far eastern boundary of the community. ~7qg~. gvE?r}UG Focused Aron SUdy 9