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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.2. Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan (MnSHIP) Comments Submittal-CIty Res. No. 7334 3.a SHAKOPEE S July 16, 2013 Ryan Wilson MnDOT Office of Capital Programs and Performance Measures 395 John Ireland Blvd, MS 440 Saint Paul, MN 55155 Re: Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan (MnSHIP) Mr. Ryan Wilson: On behalf of the Scott County Board of Commissioners and the City Council of Shakopee we are jointly submitting the following comments regarding the Draft Minnesota 20 -Year State Highway Investment Plan (MnSHIP). We applaud the state's efforts in putting together a realistic picture of what it takes to: construct, operate, maintain and manage the state's largest asset. Through our Scott County Association for Leadership and Efficiency (SCALE) partnership, we know the importance our transportation system makes in maintaining the quality of life for our residents and economic vitality of our communities. The Trunk Highway system provides those extremely critical linkages that maintain and promote that quality of life for the entire state. As resources become tighter, we recognize that difficult choices need to be made on priority investments. We feel the focus on performance measurement targets will drive the state towards aligning its limited resources with your defined pavement, safety, bridge and mobility targets. This will provide more transparency to the public in how and why investment choices are being made. Within the metro area, we are encouraged that there is a focus on finally completing the regional highway system by finishing Highway 610 and smaller strategic improvements to the regional system. We acknowledge that projects like the full reconstruction of the I35W and 1494 interchange are not in the current planning horizon, but we feel this system interchange plays a vital role in the state and region's economic health. We encourage MnDOT to keep projects of this magnitude and importance under development and aggressively pursue additional funding revenue. It is major projects such as the 135W/I494 interchange that will require collaboration and support amongst all of our organizations to complete them. We believe it is a disservice to the public not acknowledging these types of unmet needs and they should be identified in the planning document. It may require a specific effort to MnSHIP Comments — Page 2 acknowledge these major projects and garnish public support to specifically construct them based on their impact to the state. We are also very concerned that even with the aggressive preservation strategy the state is planning we continue on a course of pavement degradation. It is concerning that even with no planned expansions for mobility, a greater percentage of our pavements move into the poor condition category. We are pleased to see the Interregional Corridor (IRC) program included in MnSHIP, as it is the core system for moving freight and people. It had not received adequate attention during the last statewide plan update. Through our work with the 169 Corridor Coalition and 135 Solutions Alliance, we have learned to appreciate the importance that these corridors play in accessing regional markets, and the strong interdependence that exists between the metro and outstate sub - economies. We want to emphasize the importance that the IRC's play in the movement of freight (goods and services) in, out, and through the metro area. The connectivity they play should not be ignored in the Metropolitan Region. Providing a safe and reliable highway system that connects us together is important for the vitality of the state. Within the Twin Cities metro area, we are pleased to see that mobility is a focus in the second ten years of MnSHIP. Mobility has a positive impact on both the environment and quality of life. We agree that the managed lane system will be a way to deliver strategic mobility improvements with a high return on investment. We also think the vision of co- locating the transit way system within the highway system will provide an opportunity to cost effectively build capacity for both transportation modes. It makes sense. We want to acknowledge that, through our partnership with MnDOT, we have been able to contribute significant resources to help leverage quality regional partnership projects. We want you to know we are committed to continue building on those collaborative efforts. The County implemented a Wheelage Tax in 2007; that revenue was dedicated through County Board action to only support projects of regional significance. Through that program we have been able to work with MnDOT and step up with funding resources for regional projects that were identified through collaborative corridor work. • TH13 /Hwy 101 —Scott County was able to bring $2 million of wheelage tax and $7 million of regional federal dollars to the system. Paired with MnDOT resources of the equivalent amount, we were able to develop a partnership project that significantly improved mobility and access on a freight corridor of statewide importance. • Construction on TH 169 and County Highway 69 interchange will begin later this summer. This will remove a signal on TH169, and finish the last remaining element of the Shakopee bypass first envisioned in the mid 1970's. Beyond the Wheelage Tax we have also collaborated to move forward: • The Marschall Road Transit station in 2013, which is an important investment for transit operations along the TH 169 Corridor. MnSHIP Comments — Page 2 • Next year we will begin replacement of the Hwy 101 river crossing. Together, Mn /DOT, Carver County and Scott County have worked together solving a major flood mitigation need in the southwest metro area. We are most eager to continue with more of these collaborative efforts. We feel local partnerships help enhance limited local and MNDOT resources, making more projects possible. Through our SCALE partnership we have made transportation an emphasis area. We stress the importance of being good stewards of the transportation resources we have in place, though our annual education program which focuses on coordinating economic development, land use planning and managing the transportation system. We are committed to work together to focus on regional priorities, one at a time. We thank you for your attention to these comments, and welcome your interest in addressing the concerns of Scott County. Sincerely, Tom Wolf Brad Tabke Chair, Board of Commissioners Mayor Scott County City of Shakopee C: RESOLUTION NO. 7334 AUTHORIZING SUBMITTAL OF COMMENTS TO THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (MNDOT) ON THE MINNESOTA STATE HIGHWAY INVESTMENT PLAN (MNSHIP) WHEREAS, MnSHIP is MnDOT's instrument for deciding and communicating capital investment priorities for their system for the next 20 years; and WHEREAS, the plan considers many factors when setting priorities, including federal and state law, system conditions, and public input, resulting in a set of investment priorities that vary over the next 20 years; and WHEREAS, MnSHIP is a fiscally constrained plan, meaning its planned expenditures must align with expected revenues; and WHEREAS, expected revenues total $18 billion, while the projected transportation needs on the state highway system total $30 billion leaving 40% unfunded needs within the 20- year horizon; and WHEREAS, City and County staff have reviewed the document and prepared a letter with comments for submittal to MnDOT; and WHEREAS, the primary comments include: • Support the completion of Highway 610 and the regional system • Support the inclusion of the inter - regional corridor system in the plan • Applaud MnDOT's efforts to move towards performance measures • Continue to work with local partners to leverage non -MnDOT funding sources • Support MnDOT's efforts to build support for additional transportation funding to address preservation, safety and mobility funding gaps • Recognize Transportation system and regional economic development relationship -SCALE TED Initiative WHEREAS, the comments above are included in the letter to MnDOT. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Shakopee, Minnesota, hereby authorizes the submittal of comments to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) on the Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan (MNSHIP). Adopted in adjunct regular session of the City Council of the City of Shakopee, Minnesota held this Twenty -Ninth day of July, 2013. Mayor of the City of Shakopee ATTEST: City Clerk