Politics & Government

Maple Grove City Council Supports Revised Layout for Highway 610 Extension

The updated design "will allow the project to compete for future state and federal funds as they become available."

After observing a moment of silence for the Newtown, CT community, members of the Maple Grove City Council addressed several items at a Dec. 17 meeting – including Highway 610.

Details of the revised layout for the Highway 610 extension from County Road 81 to Interstate 94 were first unveiled at a Dec. 11 public meeting (see attached PDF).

“This revised layout is the product of a study and follow up design project funded by some of the federal monies for TH [Highway] 610,” Maple Grove Traffic Engineer Marc Culver wrote in a memo to the council.

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The 18-month study included work between the city, Hennepin County and Minnesota Department of Transportation “to design a project that meets the needs of current and future traffic volumes while also reducing the ultimate cost of the project."

“It is simply an update of the design,” Culver told the Council, noting it is not an “actual construction project.”

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“It’s been some time since the layout was revised [1994],” Culver said, telling the Council traffic patterns have “changed significantly.”

The updated design takes items into consideration, such as new development in the area, changes in design standards and impact to Maple Grove Senior High property.

According to the memo provided to the Maple Grove City Council, new design differences include:

  • Loss of the loop in the northwest corner of the Interstate 94/Highway 610 interchange
  • Loss of ramp in the southeast corner of the interchange (westbound 94 to eastbound 94)
  • Inclusion of proposed county road connecting County Road 30 and Highway 610
  • Alignment of 105th Avenue over Interstate 94 was “adjusted slightly” to avoid an existing culvert crossing of Rush Creek.

The loss of loop changes, according to the memo, were a result of a review of revised traffic forecasts, cost and impacts to the Interstate 94 mainline and Highway 610 east of Interstate 94.

“City staff has submitted comment that we strongly feel a movement should be included that would allow westbound TH [Highway] 610 traffic to turn left at a partial traffic signal on the west side of I-94 and access to eastbound I-94,” Culver wrote in his memo.

Resident concerns expressed at the Dec. 11 meeting centered primarily on the 105th realignment, Culver said.

A resolution was brought before the Maple Grove City Council “supporting the revised layout for trunk highway 610 in Maple Grove” at the Dec. 17 meeting.  

Before voting, Councilmember Erik Johnson questioned right-of-way acquisition status; Culver responding about 50 percent of the right-of-way has been acquired.

The council approved the resolution 4-0, which included:

  • Support of the layout presented at the Dec. 11 public meeting, “contingent on the inclusion of a movement” from westbound Highway 610 to eastbound Interstate 94.
  • Support of the “expeditious spending of currently available federal funds” identified for the Highway 610 project, “including, not limited to” the realignment and extension of 105th Avenue across Instate 94 as required by the overall Highway 610 project.
  • Support of the “acquisition of right-of-way as the opportunity presents itself” on the revised layout.

“While this layout is now the official approved layout, once an actual project has been established with funding identified, the City Council and public will once again have an opportunity to comment on the elements of the project during the official municipal consent process,” Culver wrote. “At that time, Council can assure that any priorities, such as WB 610 and EB 94 movement, are included in the actual consideration."

”While the process has been long, the final product will allow the project to compete for future state and federal funds as they become available, as was the case with the recently completed 610 project in Maple Grove,” Culver wrote.

Mayor Mark Steffenson was absent from the meeting.

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