Delivering Together: A Case Study Highway 7 and Louisiana Avenue Interchange ACEC MnDOT Conference March 5, 2012

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Introduction of Presenters Mike Rardin – City of St. Louis Park –Director of Public Works April Crockett – MnDOT Metro District –West Area Engineer Mark Dierling – SEH –Consultant Project Manager

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Project Overview Project Purpose –To provide a safe, functional urban interchange that fits well within the community while balancing the needs of the regional transportation system Project Scope –Replace signalized intersection with urban interchange –Accommodations for pedestrians and bicycles –Public art/aesthetics

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Tight Diamond With Roundabouts

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Project Partners City of St. Louis Park – Lead MnDOT SEH

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Why Locally Led? Community Significance/Need Organizational Capability Public Involvement Process Federal Funding Availability

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Opportunities Schedule Ownership Resolution of Local Issues Public Involvement by Agency Closest to Constituents –Credibility with business and property owners Streamlined Right of Way Process

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Challenges Level of Effort Required –Consultant scope of services/budget –City staff time commitments –MnDOT staff commitment and support –Trunk Highway versus State Aid or Federal Aid process Funding –Multiple Sources –Project Readiness

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Challenges Differing Priorities –Local priority versus State priority –Functional group reviews –MnDOT champion Scope Management –Managing expectations and priorities Value Engineering –Unexpected –Concern over loss of control

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Lessons learned Open communication and effective coordination are critical Consultant can act as link between partnering agencies Clearly defined goals and objectives help with managing scope Difficulty in securing funding – local participation amounts increasing

Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange Project Questions/Discussion view from southwest