Memo- Excelsior Blvd/East End UpdateMemorandum
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Steven J. Stadler, Public Works Director
Date: February 5, 1998
Subject: Excelsior Boulevard/East End Update
Public Works Department
The purpose of this worksession item is to update City Council on the status of the
Excelsior Boulevard Improvements, Phase II (Highway 169 - Blake Road).
As background, on May 20, 1997, Hopkins City Council approved the following:
• A south shift in the roadway to allow for a 100 foot right -of -way. The commercial
properties on the south side of the road would be purchased, the buildings would be
demolished and the land would be converted to a landscaped buffer area.
• The Milwaukee Street and St. Louis Street connections to Excelsior Boulevard
would remain as -is but with some safety enhancements, i.e., additional raised
center median and left turn lanes on Excelsior Boulevard.
• The Jackson Avenue and Monroe Avenue intersections with Excelsior Boulevard
would remain as -is.
Currently, Hennepin County is working on the preliminary design layout. The County is
anticipating completing preliminary design and requesting City Council approval in late
March, 98.
Staff is working with the County and adjacent business /property owners on several
issues. A brief description of each issue is presented below.
• South -shift alignment: The County has proposed an alternative south shift
alignment that would not require demolition and reconstruction of the concrete
section of roadway between the railroad crossing and Highway 169. The result is
a somewhat smaller south shift - see attached drawings. Staff is working to
determine the cost of staying with the Corridor Study south -shift while maintaining
a safe 40 mph curve alignment. The County has stated that reconstruction of the
western concrete section of Excelsior Blvd would be solely a City cost.
• Blake School: Blake School has developed a new campus master plan - see
attached. One very important element of the new campus plan is an additional
access to Excelsior Boulevard at the northwest comer of their property. They have
agreed that this new access could be a right - in/right -out only access aligned with
Tyler Avenue. Campus improvements, including the proposed west parking lot and
additional Excelsior access, may not occur before the 2000 - 2002 timeframe.
Other potential Blake School concerns are road/right -of -way encroachment to the
soccer fields, stormwater detention pond and Rapid Oil business property.
East end Convenience Retail Area: This idea was brought up by residents at one of
the neighborhood meetings. The proposed retail area would be the current Surge
Water and Dairy Queen properties. This concept needs to be further explored with
potential developers to determine the viability of the site, access, adjacent property
buffering, etc. Specific concepts could then be presented to the neighborhood for
consideration.
• Project Funding: This project is to be funded with Municipal State Aid funds. The
estimated City cost is $2.1 million. In order to cover this cost, the City will need to
spend the current State Aid balance plus our 1998 and 1999 allotments.
i
N
• 1
. r 1 4
y I.
•
•
•
••
••
.•
•
••
•
••
.•
•
•
•
31910313
oJnv
9 8 V
• a
-- {
• •
•
C
U
IU
•
i 1' ir
I I
11
1
1
I
h
31 d
■
Bps=
309 D
N3(1uV0
10
r
45
0
C1
0
0
1 - �
V
u
I�
II�
1�
N� 1
n
•1
a
1
1
- -1 __
1. 3M NOSNDVP
}
O
O
'34v 3083Id
0
0
—J
= 'JNOJ_ - '-
— � .. r
J t
t
1 1
l I -
I ,1
1 1
1 11 I
3Nbj
L 1
If
I f
11 4
01, I,1
VAS fe
0 ..
e q1\
i
e•• •i lt „
NIA
oso
)/
` 1
JI
_J
via nerionin ---- -t
FVTO(C E cc aseoe et- v3 A- C-LESS
eta - Q, (s, Frr our _ �
The Blake School
Masterplan - Hopkins Campus
0
d
NORTH
•-4
4I
L