Project Update

The recommended alternative includes the following elements:

  1. Construction of a new folded diamond interchange at Highway 52 and 65th Street NW
  2. Relocation of the 55th Street East Frontage Road
  3.  Six-lanes on 55th Street NW between Members Parkway and the East Frontage Road (Bandel Road)
  4. Reconstruction of the interchange at Highway 52 and 55th Street NW as a single point urban interchange
  5. Construction of a west frontage road between 55th Street NW and 65th Street NW (Clearwater Road alignment)
  6. Additional local roadway capacity improvements (e.g., additional lanes and/or intersection turn lanes)

The initial months of this study were spent reviewing existing and projected future conditions in the study area related to traffic, safety, and social, economic, and environmental issues. In addition, since this study is a follow-up to a transportation study conducted in 2005-2006 (but not completed due to funding shortfalls), valuable data from this as well as other previous planning studies in the area was also considered. The results of this data collection effort led to the identification of the following key study area issues and needs:

  • Congestion and safety issues exist along 55th Street NW due to heavy traffic volumes and closely spaced signalized intersections
  • Lack of a west frontage road between 55th Street NW and 65th Street NW for local traffic circulation
  • Access spacing issues exist along the East Frontage Road (Bandel Road) between 55th Street NW and 65th Street NW causing congestion and safety issues
  • Desire for new access to Highway 52 at 65th Street due to development pressure surrounding this area
  • Need to preserve mobility, operations, and safety on Highway 52

The study committee identified improvement alternatives aimed at addressing these key project issues and needs. These alternatives included the following elements:

  1. 55th Street NW Interchange Reconstruction - Increase capacity through the addition of travel lanes and intersection improvements as well as improve intersection spacing (i.e., consideration of alternative interchange configurations and traffic control methods)
  2. 6-lanes on 55th Street NW between Chateau Road and the East Frontage Road (Bandel Road)
  3. Addition of a West Frontage Road between 55th Street NW and 65th Street NW
  4. Access management solutions for driveways to businesses and homes along the East Frontage Road just north of 55th St
  5. 65th Street NW Interchange - Consideration of several interchange configurations with the intent to optimize traffic operations while minimizing right of way impacts as well as cost
  6. Additional local roadway capacity improvements (additional lanes and/or intersection turn lanes, intersection improvements, traffic control devices, etc.)

Next Steps

Following the open house on April 8th, 2010 (see the News tab for more information regarding the public meeting), public input/feedback will be will be used by the project management team to select a Preferred Alternative for project design.

Next, the project management team will develop a phasing plan to implement the preferred alternative. Funding is not available to construct all of the project elements right away and not all of these elements are needed immediately. A phasing plan will be developed to determine which project elements are needed first to improve safety and minimize congestion in the project area. The phasing plan will identify projects for implementation over the next 2 to 20 years as funding becomes available.

The Preferred Alternative will be carried forward in an Environmental Assessment/Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EA/EAW), a joint federal/state document that evaluates the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the proposed project. Another public meeting will occur after publication of the EA/EAW, by the end of 2010.

Project Schedule

The City of Rochester and Mn/DOT Project Team members are working together with SRF Consulting Group, Inc. to complete the project scope tasks for the NRTS.

The NRTS is broken into three basic Phases:

Phase 1:

Phase 1 includes collecting data, traffic analysis, developing design concepts and alternatives, and finally, identifying a Preferred Alternative. The Preferred Alternative is a single design alternative which is carried forward and is the basis for further study in an environmental document. The project team is currently wrapping up Phase 1 in Spring 2010 and will be moving on to Phase 2.

Phase 2:

A detailed engineering drawing called a Geometric Layout is developed during Phase 2. The Geometric Layout identifies impacts to the project area including right of way, social and economic, and natural resource impacts. Per Federal and State law, the identified impacts are documented and presented in an EA/EAW. The public has the right to review the EA/EAW and provide input to ensure that all public concerns have been adequately addressed. A public hearing for the EA/EAW will be held after its publication, likely in Winter 2010.

Phase 3:

Once the EA/EAW is approved, final design can begin on portions of the Preferred Alternative as funding allows. Final design includes preparing final construction documents to allow contractors to bid and construct the improvements. It also includes official mapping for right of way preservation. Final design/official map adoption is planned to occur in Spring 2011.

A graph of the schedule is shown below:

Schedule