Page 43 of 70
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: January 30th, 2018, 9:55 am
by mattaudio
Yikes, what a waste. You could eliminate the western flyover by simply having a slip ramp off County Road E / Vadnais Blvd. You could likely eliminate the eastern flyover by using a loop on the NW corner of the interchange to access SB Rice, sort of a half parclo design. Bonus: Two roundabouts/intersections instead of three.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 2nd, 2018, 9:28 am
by SurlyLHT
Transportation Commissioner's take on future of highways. (Unlocked)
https://finance-commerce.com/2018/02/ho ... al-estate/
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 5th, 2018, 12:19 pm
by grrdanko
MNDOT is studying tolls as a means of funding.
http://www.startribune.com/mndot-study- ... 472639723/
I personally think this is a good idea. The loud anti-metro people are always yelling about all the outstate money going to the metro. Let the road users pay for a little bit of the cost.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 5th, 2018, 3:41 pm
by tmart
IMO, pros to tolls:
- Reduce congestion
- Free up general revenue (ideally for transit improvements)
- Better tie funding to usage
- Make up some of projected decline in gas tax revenue
Cons to tolls:
- Complicated to implement
- Are a form of regressive tax
- Political powder keg in the burbs
Whether it's tolls, a mileage charge, or something else entirely, ideally we'd be able to entirely separate the gas tax, which should mainly be capturing pollution externalities, from road funding. Electric cars still incur about the same road maintenance costs per-mile.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 5th, 2018, 4:41 pm
by Tiller
I'd be in favor of eliminating the gas tax in favor of Carbon Tax + Vehicle Miles Traveled Tax, though both are nonstarters until the DFL can (maybe) retake the senate (in 2020, at the earliest).
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 6th, 2018, 12:02 pm
by Mikey
http://www.sehinc.com/online/rice694
Rice St and 694 interchange design
This might have been out for a while but it was just brought to my attention. They plan to construct Rice and 694 similar to Rice and 36, but with roundabouts instead of signals.
My thoughts:
- the current status with multiple lights on both ends is terrible.
- I don't like the flyover exit/entrance setup. Seems excessive to construct 3 bridges instead of 1.
- The shifted roadway on the south side (N Owasso) will reduce visibility and take out the Vadnais Inn (bar). I wonder how much that business is being compensated?
- will the large open space to the south of 694 and west of Rice be sold to a developer?
- did they leave space between 694 and the soundwall for that little jog in the exit ramp? "D'Oh!"
- how will semi traffic move through this area? The roundabouts seem too close for a semi to weave through the area.
- it REALLY is too bad this wasn't worked on as part of the just competed 694 project.
Other thoughts?
I'll give them a pass on the three-bridge design - I'm sure they could spout some logical reasoning behind it. But, what the hell is up with the Rice / Owasso intersection?!? They're moving it half a block north to, umm, use more land and pavement? Why not just put the roundabout at the current intersection?
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 6th, 2018, 1:18 pm
by EOst
You'd need to demo a couple buildings to build that circle at Owasso vs. just the Vadnais Inn where it is on the map.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 23rd, 2018, 9:22 pm
by mattaudio
I am disappointed to see the City of Minneapolis seeking freeway expansion dollars from Corridors of Commerce.
https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/RCA/2025
The request is for the passage of a resolution defining the City’s support for the following list of projects, in priority order based on benefit for Minneapolis residents, workers, businesses, freight operators, and visitors:
1. Hi-Lake Interchange Reconfiguration (TH 55 at CSAH 3)
2. I-35W MnPASS Lanes between TH 36 and Downtown Minneapolis – Phase 4 of I-35W North Project
3. I-94/TH 252 Freeway Conversion and MnPASS Lanes between Dowling Avenue and TH 610
4. I-94 and TH 280/Cretin Avenue/Vandalia Street System Interchange Reconstruction
5. TH 62 between I-35W and TH 77 Auxiliary lanes
The only one that seems to make sense for Minneapolis is the Hi-Lake interchange reconfiguration.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 24th, 2018, 12:08 am
by MNdible
I'm honestly surprised you're opposed to these projects. Without doing a ton of research, they all appear to be pretty obvious and necessary projects that will take pressure off of surface streets. Most of them are projects that should have been done decades ago. What am I missing?
No more lanes ever? Is that the catchphrase?
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 24th, 2018, 6:46 am
by Multimodal
No more lanes ever? Is that the catchphrase?
That’s a good start.
No more lanes.
No more (surface) parking.
No more drive-thru’s.
No more gas stations.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 24th, 2018, 9:09 am
by DanPatchToget
Why are we widening roads when autonomous cars will sometime, eventually, very soon be commonplace? Oh wait, that only applies to expanding public transit. Never mind.
I assume the MnPass lanes will be in addition to existing lanes?
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 24th, 2018, 9:41 am
by Mikey
I didn't know MnPass lanes were in the cards as part of the 252 upgrade. Nice
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: February 24th, 2018, 10:58 am
by Tcmetro
IIRC, the I-94 MnPass plan is for a mix of new and converted lanes. The segment between Dowling and 4th St will be converted, while the segment north of Dowling is mostly new lanes. I'm surprised about the 252 MnPass lane, but it makes sense because MnDot is proceeding with the freeway upgrade.
The 35W North MnPass lanes are needed to connect with the 35W lanes that will open soon between Roseville and Blaine and the proposed 36 MnPass lanes.
The 94/280 reconstruction is needed to move the entrance/exits to the right side so that the MnPass lane can be built on the left side.
The Hwy 62 auxiliary lanes are likely a recommendation from the 62/494 study that hasn't been published yet. Seems like the roadway is pretty tight between Portland and Cedar, but they could probably just close 62nd St and Cul-de-sac the streets that the houses are on.
Hi-Lake will help make the Blue Line more accessible for pedestrians.
36 & 120 interchange
Posted: March 16th, 2018, 5:26 am
by at40man
Update:
http://eastsidereviewnews.com/articles/ ... n-upgrades
I think that it should be a top priority that if any work is done at the Hwy 36 & 120 interchange that it INCLUDES on/off ramps (tight diamond interchange) as to not cut off another entrance to downtown North St Paul and the rest of the city.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: March 16th, 2018, 9:51 am
by karen nelson
MN DOT also want to use freeway lid real estate as funding source
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: March 16th, 2018, 12:02 pm
by mattaudio
Interstate 94 should really just be all-MnPASS from downtown to downtown.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: March 16th, 2018, 12:10 pm
by Silophant
*Every controlled-access freeway inside the 494-694 loop should be all MnPASS.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: March 16th, 2018, 12:13 pm
by mattaudio
Absolutely.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: March 16th, 2018, 12:21 pm
by MNdible
The echo chamber still works, thanks for checking.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Posted: March 16th, 2018, 12:41 pm
by Silophant
Gotta exercise it every so often to make sure it doesn't seize up.