Lino Lakes Ledger
Council Approves Plans For I-35E Interchange
The plans and specifications for Anoka County’s I- 35E/Main Street Interchange on Lino Lakes’ eastern border were approved 4-0 at the Lino Lakes City Council meeting of June 22, but not without a clear statement from city staff that the approval had nothing to do with funding.
Community Development Director Michael Grochala told the council that the approval authorizes the engineer to sign and approve the plans, subject to any Joint Powers Agreement developed later on.
“If we can find the dollars to pay for this, then this is the project that we want,” Council Member Jeff Reinert said before casting his vote of approval.
The project, which has considerable state and federal support, includes total reconstruction of the woefully inadequate interchange near Hugo’s western border into a partial cloverleaf with a new, 250-foot-long four-lane bridge. Westbound lanes will have an 8- and 4-foot shoulder with two through lanes; eastbound, there will be a leftturn lane, two through lanes, an 8-foot shoulder, and a 10- foot pedestrian/bicycle trail.
Project design enhancements required by reviewing agencies have brought the project price tag up to $23 million from initial estimates of $13 million. At the same time, city officials say, it has an unprecedented level of federal funding—nearly $11.6 million—and the support of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), which will contribute $1.2 million in construction engineering to the project.
Anoka County and the City of Lino Lakes will split the remaining cost of $10.2 million, as the project lies entirely within the city’s borders.
“Approval of the plans does not commit the City to any funding obligation,” Grochala said.
Council Dan Stoltz was not in attendance at the meeting.
In other action, the council:
• Listened to concerns expressed by two residents of Clearwater Creek about the amount of traffic being carried through the neighborhood on Tart Lake Road, especially in light of a lack of sidewalks; a suggestion was made to cul-de-sac Tart Lake Road and pave Cedar Street. TKDA, the city’s engineers, will study the issue and collect traffic data later on in July.
• Approved the renewal of tobacco licenses within the city.
• Approved an extension of time for the Century Farm North 5th Addition Final Plat submittal. City ordinance requires the final plat for subsequent development phases be submitted within one year of approval of the final plat for the previous phase. The preliminary plat was approved in 2003, and several extensions have already been granted. The new deadline is April 30, 2010.
• Authorized the Lino Lakes Police Department to purchase office furniture in an amount up to $3,000 using a portion of the Drug Forfeiture fund. The office furniture will be used to provide a work area for interns and volunteers in conjunction with a crime mapping and analysis project the LLPD is pursuing in partnership with Century College.
• Adopted a change to the city’s personnel policies to bring it into conformance with recent changes in the federal Family Medical Leave Act.
• Adopted a change to the city’s Personnel Policy Handbook to incorporate recent changes made by the Minnesota State Legislature to expand military leave to include military ceremonies, Family Readiness events and bereavement leave.