01-28-1991 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Policy Committee Minutes December 19, 1990 Page 2 Committee discussion on the forecasts focused on their accuracy (Johnson located a possible transportation error on the South Bypass forecast, south of Maple Plain, and Bernhardson stated the volume displays may have been shifted slightly; the expectations for the TH 55 and CR 6 Bypass forecasts, the accuracy of the Metro Council forecast modelling process and how the volumes could be given a credibility check (+ or - of error). Dallam mentioned that models are only as accurate as their input (population and employment data) and tend to be more accurate on main roads and less accurate on county/local roads (because of the large size of the zones used to load trips on the roadway network). Questions from the Audience were received. These questions dealt with the validity of the data; assumptions that go into the forecasting model: the difference the model assigned in the traffic volumes on either end of Long Lake (with the South Bypass Alternative); and that the roadway volumes will not "add up" (across N-S screenlines) until the volumes on the countv roads are available. Dallam then provided an update on the status of the project. He said the overlay mapping is progressing and that requested "special features" have been received from several communities but is still needed or will be coming from Medina. Delano, and Franklin Townships. Alignment shifts can be expected following the mapping of the features. Ail overlays will be completed for presentation at the January meeting (scheduled for January 23,1991). Dallam said that possible alignment shifts, as a result of the feature mapping, will be shown at this meeting. Dallam then distributed a revised project schedule. He said that the evaluation criteria (as determined in Activity #3) will be the overlays and the results of the traffic forecasts. Corridor screening will probably take two meetings per Committee. Preliminary layouts will not be as detailed as previous layouts prepared specifically for the Long Lake/Orono area, but will show accesss points at a minimum. Activity #15 shows "select" changed to "identify" because a preferred corridor cannot be seleaed (approved) until the final EIS is completed. Audience discussion followed. Questions included the local knowledge of when a determination will be made to construct either a freeway or expressway (traffic forecasts will assume both types of design - and that impacts are essentially the same except for interchanges which will take additional right-of-way. Construction limits, for planning purposes, won’t be known until the EIS is undenaken, although Mn/DOT will provide preliminary right-of-way definitions for the urbanized areas along the in-place TH 12 improvement alternative); population growth in the area; and zoning/land use considerations in evaluating the alternatives.