HomeMy WebLinkAbout2040 Chapter 05 - TransportationCity of Prior Lake Transportation
2040 Comprehensive Plan Page 54
CHAPTER 5, TRANSPORTATION
5.1 Introduction
The purpose of the Transportation Plan is to provide the policy and program guidance
needed to make appropriate transportation-related decisions when development occurs, when elements of the transportation system need to be upgraded, or when transportation
problems need to be addressed. The Transportation Plan demonstrates how the City of
Prior Lake will provide for an integrated transportation system that will serve the future needs of its residents and businesses, support the City’s development plan, and
complement the portion of the metropolitan transportation system that lies within the City’s
boundaries.
In addition to a comprehensive roadway network, Prior Lake features many recreational
amenities including more than 55 parks on 1,000 acres, over 100 miles of trails and sidewalks and 14 lakes. Opportunities in commercial and industrial development are
increasing due to growth and improved highway accessibility and upgrades. Prior Lake’s downtown safety and mobility have been enhanced by the County Highway (CH) 21 and State Highway (TH) 13 project of 2019.
In addition, transit service is also provided within the City. Maintaining and improving this
multimodal transportation system is important to the ongoing economic health and quality
of life in Prior Lake and it is needed for people to travel easily and safely to work and other destinations, to develop property, and to move goods. To accomplish this purpose, the
Transportation Plan:
• Defines the density and distribution of future land uses and their relationship to the
proposed local transportation system.
• Develops a functional hierarchy of streets and roads and defines their access to the
regional system to ensure that they support the existing and anticipated development of the area, serve both short trips to and from Prior Lake destinations as well as trips
to adjacent communities, and complement and support the metropolitan highway
system.
• Establishes a system improvement program that ensures higher priority projects are
constructed first, maintains a consistent and coherent process, and provides for adequate funding for all needed improvements.
• Identifies appropriate transit services and travel demand management strategies for implementation in Prior Lake to increase the number and proportion of people who use
transit or share rides and reduce the peak level of demand on the entire transportation
system.
• Identifies strategies and policies that need to be implemented to properly integrate the
trail system, including pedestrian and bicycle, with the future roadway and transit system, to ensure the provision of trails in a sequence consistent with the development
of the roadway system, and to create a rational network of sidewalks.
5.2 Goals and Policies
A. Summary of Regional Transportation Goals
Guidance for the development of the Transportation Plan is provided by the Metropolitan Council’s 2040 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP), which identifies six broad goals for the
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regional transportation system. The six goals are paraphrased below:
1. Transportation System Stewardship: Providing sustainable investments in the
transportation system which are protected by strategically preserving, maintaining, and operating system assets.
2. Safety and Security: Ensuring the regional transportation system is safe and secure
for all users. 3. Access to Destinations: Allowing people and businesses to prosper by using a reliable,
affordable, and efficient multimodal transportation system that connects them to
destinations throughout the region and beyond. 4. Competitive Economy: Ensuring the regional transportation system supports the
economic competitiveness, vitality, and prosperity of the region and State. 5. Healthy Environment: Confirming the regional transportation system advances equity and contributes to communities’ livability and sustainability while protecting the natural,
cultural, and developed environments. 6. Leveraging Transportation Investment to Guide Land Use: Leveraging the region’s
transportation investments to guide land use and development patterns that advance
the regional vision of stewardship, prosperity, livability, equity, and sustainability.
B. City of Prior Lake Goals and Policies
The role of the Metropolitan Council, reflected above, is to coordinate large-scale
transportation planning efforts to benefit the metropolitan region. As a metropolitan
community, Prior Lake’s role is to respond to Metropolitan Council’s initiatives and coordinate with adjacent communities, while addressing its local responsibility to improve
the quality of life for its citizens. To respond to the above themes, as well as to serve
economic activities and improve the quality of life in Prior Lake, the following goals and policies were established:
1. Transportation System Stewardship
• Protect investments in the transportation system through strategic preservation,
maintenance, and operation of system assets.
• New roadway facilities should be constructed in conjunction with new
developments and designed for the intended function.
• Existing roadways should be upgraded when warranted by demonstrated volume,
safety, or functional needs.
• Consider traffic control improvements where appropriate to accommodate roadway
capacity and reduce delay.
• Prioritize maintenance for roadways based on surface conditions and other
indicators of deterioration.
• Maintenance assessments shall be considered when a facility requires
reconstruction, and whether the removal or closure of the facility is a fiscally responsible alternative in certain instances.
• Employ a variety of outreach tools to foster community engagement and eliminate barriers to public participation in transportation and land use planning, and ensure
final plans reflect the values of Prior Lake citizens.
• Consider opportunities to improve the City’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure to be prepared to potentially support autonomous vehicles and
connected vehicles in the future. This could be accomplished when significant investments are proposed for construction and reconstruction projects.
• Continue to seek new and competitive funding for roadway maintenance, rehabilitation, and construction projects to maintain a consistent and
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comprehensive roadway system.
• Encourage coordination and mutual support among all agencies and jurisdictions
in formulating transportation plans and investment decisions.
2. Safety and Security
• Control access to the regional roadway system, including the concentration of driveways and side-street intersections, with respect to functional classification.
Maintain access management standards that are consistent with the Scott County and Metropolitan Council guidelines.
• Promote best design practices, especially in providing and improving facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians, who are the most vulnerable users of the transportation system.
• Maintain and analyze safety and security data to identify persistent system threats.
• Protect and strengthen the role of the regional transportation system to provide
secure and effective emergency response to serious incidents and threats through transportation improvements and municipal policy.
• Promote safe pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists in parking lots and internal traffic circulation areas.
3. Access to Destinations
• Provide a system of interconnected arterials, collectors and local streets.
• Utilize Complete Streets principles to meet the travel needs of pedestrians,
bicyclists and transit users.
• Design residential street systems to discourage through traffic and allow other
transportation modes including transit, bicycling and walking.
• Facilitate neighborhood pedestrian and bicycle connections to highway-oriented
commercial districts.
• Prioritize investments in A-minor arterials that build, manage, or improve the
system’s ability to supplement the capacity of the principal arterial system.
• Pedestrian and bicycle trails should be interconnected with major generators,
integrated with the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN), and have
continuity across major barriers and between jurisdictions.
• Review new developments for adequacy of parking based upon need and the
potential for joint use of parking facilities.
4. Competitive Economy
• Invest in transportation improvements that will attract and retain businesses and workers within Prior Lake and pursue design alternatives that reflect the values of
its citizens.
• Strengthen connections between work and activity centers.
• Provide and protect efficient connections from major freight facilities to the regional highway system.
• Coordinate with regional governments, transit agencies, and rideshare programs to capture the environmental and social costs of commuting and incentivize
alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle trips.
5. Healthy Environment
• Plan a sustainable transportation system, which functions practically for all citizens, particularly for historically underrepresented populations, and which promotes
community cohesion and active living.
• Mitigate impacts to the natural environment and cultural resources when planning,
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constructing and operating transportation systems.
• Minimize the effect of air quality impacts on the natural environment with proposed
transportation improvements.
• Identify and improve suitable truck routes while minimizing impacts such as noise
and traffic to sensitive land uses.
6. Leveraging Transportation Investment to Guide Land Use
• Utilize sound land use planning to promote multimodal travel alternatives compared to single-occupant vehicles, with a focus on strategic job activity, and
industrial and manufacturing concentrations located on congested highway corridors served by regional transit service.
• Improvements shall be staged to reflect projected growth needs and land use changes.
• Strengthen last-mile connections between transit stations and transit-oriented
development.
• Develop community partnerships to address the opportunities and challenges
related to creating walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly places.
C. Major Trends and Influencing Factors Several social, economic, environmental, and technological trends will affect the City of
Prior Lake, as well as the entire Twin Cities metropolitan area, over the next 20 years. These include population growth, changes in household size, increases in the cost of
conventional fuels coupled with transition to alternative fuel sources, the emergence of the
ride hailing and similar alternative modes, and various environmental efforts and concerns. With increased population growth and limited new or expanded transportation facilities,
congestion on the regional highway system is expected to increase.
Specific transportation issues the City of Prior Lake faces include:
• Growing congestion on regional routes such as TH 169, TH 13, and I-35W causing
diversion of traffic to County roadways and local streets.
• Increasing traffic and infrastructure needs due to urbanization of the developing areas
of Prior Lake.
• Increasing competition for space among modes such as vehicles and bicycle and pedestrian interests.
• Declining financial resources needed to maintain and improve the transportation systems as costs are expected to increase.
1. Emerging and Developing Technologies
In addition to the issues cited above, several emerging technologies are anticipated to
impact Prior Lake and the rest of the Twin Cities metropolitan area within the 20-year planning horizon of this Transportation Plan update. Emerging technologies include
electric vehicles, connected vehicles, automated vehicles, and continued development
of ride hailing systems such as Uber and Lyft. As a growing community located within an expanding metropolitan economy, Prior Lake should experience some degree of
impacts from these technologies in the next 20 years. 5.3 Roadway System
The roadway network in the City of Prior Lake is a significant component of its
transportation system and continues to expand to accommodate growth and
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redevelopment within and outside the City. The City of Prior Lake features efficient access to the regional transportation roadway system with major corridor routes passing through
the City.
Industrial areas and economic centers in the City of Prior Lake are located with nearby
access to the metropolitan highway system, which reduces the impact of truck traffic on
local roadways and minimizes the potential for disruption of neighborhoods. This section of the Transportation Plan will address key features of Prior Lake’s roadway system
including the jurisdictional and functional classifications, roadway system improvements,
traffic volumes, congestion, safety, and additional transportation components and policies.
A. Jurisdictional Classification Ownership of the City’s roadway system is shared among the Minnesota Department of
Transportation (MnDOT), Scott County, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, and the City of Prior Lake. MnDOT maintains the interstate and trunk highway system on
behalf of the State of Minnesota, Scott County maintains the County State Aid-Highway
(CSAH) and County Road (CR) systems, and the remaining public roadways within the City are owned and maintained by the City of Prior Lake including Municipal State Aid
Streets (MSAS). The four jurisdictions coordinate in the planning and improvement efforts
of the roadway system in Prior Lake. The existing jurisdictional classification map is shown in Figure 5.1.
The jurisdictional classification system is intended to maintain a balance of responsibility among the four governing agencies. It is organized around the principle that the highest
volume and limited access roadways that carry regional trips are primarily maintained by
MnDOT, the intermediate volume roadways that carry medium length trips are maintained by Scott County, and the local street system that provides access to individual properties
is maintained by the City of Prior Lake. Occasionally, due to growth and development, changes in travel patterns or construction of new facilities, the jurisdictional classification needs to be adjusted to reflect changes in the way certain roadways are utilized. The
following jurisdictional transfers as indicated in the Scott County 2040 Transportation Plan within the City of Prior Lake are listed below:
Potential Transfers from the City of Prior Lake to Scott County:
• None
Potential Transfers from Scott County to the City of Prior Lake:
• CSAH 18 (Crest Avenue) from City of Shakopee to CSAH 42 (140th Street)
• CSAH 87 (Revere Avenue) from CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue) to CSAH 68 (190th
Street E)
Potential Transfers from Scott County to MnDOT within Prior Lake:
• CSAH 42 (140th Street) from City of Shakopee to City of Savage
• CSAH 17 (Marschall Road) from City of Shakopee to TH 13 Potential Transfers from MnDOT to Scott County within Prior Lake:
• TH 13 from TH 282 to CSAH 42 (140th Street)
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Figure 5.1. Existing and Future Roadway System
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B. Functional Classification
Roadway functional classification categories are defined by the way roadways serve the
flow of trips through the overall roadway system. Within the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the Metropolitan Council has established detailed criteria to define roadway functional
classifications, which are presented in Table 5.1. The following is a detailed discussion of
each functional classification category.
Table 5.1. Metropolitan Council Roadway Functional Classifications
Criteria Principal Arterial Minor Arterial and Other Arterial Collector Local Street
Place Connections
Connect regional job concentrations and freight terminals within the urban service area.
Provide supplementary connections between regional job concentrations, local centers, and freight terminals within the urban service area.
Connect neighborhoods and centers within the urban service area.
Connect blocks and land parcels within neighborhoods and within commercial or industrial developments.
Spacing
Urban communities: 2 to 3 miles. Suburban communities: Spacing should vary in relation to development density of land uses served, 2 to 6 miles.
Regional job concentrations: 1/4 to 3/4 mile.
Urban communities: 1/2 to 1 mile.
Suburban communities: 1 to 2 miles.
Job concentrations: 1/8 to 1/2 mile.
Urban Communities: 1/4 to 3/4 mile.
Suburban Communities: 1/2 to 1 mile.
As needed to access land uses.
System Connections
To interstate freeways, other principal arterials, and select A-Minor arterials. Connections between principal arterials should be of a design type that does not require vehicles to stop. Intersections should be limited to 1 to 2 miles.
To most interstates, principal arterials, other minor arterials, collectors and some local streets.
To minor arterials, other collectors, and local streets.
To a few minor arterials. To collectors and other local streets.
Trip-Making
Service
Trips greater than 8 miles with at least 5 continuous miles on principal arterials. Express and highway bus rapid transit trips.
Medium-to-short tips (2 to 6 miles depending on development density) at moderate speeds. Longer trips accessing the principal arterial network. Local, limited-stop, and arterial bus rapid
transit trips.
Short trips (1 to 4 miles depending on development density) at low-to-moderate speeds.
Short trips (under 2 miles) at low speeds, including bicycle and pedestrian trips. Longer trips accessing the collector and arterial network.
Mobility versus Land Access
Emphasis is on mobility for longer trips rather than direct land access. Little or no direct land access within the urbanized area.
Emphasis on mobility for longer trips rather than on direct land access. Direct land access limited to concentrations of activity including regional job concentrations, local centers, freight terminals, and neighborhoods.
Equal emphasis on mobility and land access. Direct land access predominantly to development concentrations.
Emphasis on land access, not on mobility. Direct land access predominantly to residential land uses.
System Mileage 5-10% 10-15% 5-15% 60-75%
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Table 5.1. Metropolitan Council Roadway Functional Classifications (continued)
Criteria Principal Arterial Minor Arterial and
Other Arterial Collector Local Street
Percent of Vehicle Miles Traveled
15-35%
15-25%
10-25%
10-25%
Intersections
Grade separated desirable where appropriate. At a minimum, high-capacity controlled at- grade intersections.
Traffic signals, roundabouts, and cross- street stops.
Four-way stops and some traffic signals.
As required.
Parking None Restricted as necessary. Restricted as necessary. Permitted as necessary.
Large Trucks No restrictions. Candidates for local truck network, large trucks restricted as necessary.
May be candidates for local truck network, large trucks restricted as necessary.
Permitted as necessary.
Management
Tools
Ramp metering, preferential treatment for transit, access control, median barriers, traffic signal progression, staging of reconstruction, and intersection spacing.
Traffic signal progression and spacing, land access management and control, preferential treatment for transit.
Number of lanes, traffic signal timing, land access management.
Intersection control, cul-de-sacs, and diverters.
Typical Average Daily Traffic Volumes
15,000 to 100,000+ 5,000 to 30,000+ 1,000 to 15,000+ Less than 1,000
Posted Speed Limit
40 to 65 mph 30 to 45 mph 30 to 40 mph Max. 30 mph
Right-of-Way 100 to 300 feet 60 to 150 feet 60 to 100 feet 50 to 80 feet
Transit Accommodations
Transit advantages that provide priority access and reliable movement for transit in peak periods where possible and needed.
Transit advantages for reliable movement where needed.
Regular-route buses, transit advantages for reliable movement, where needed.
Normally used as bus routes only in nonresidential areas.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations
On facilities that cross or are parallel to the principal arterial with greater emphasis along transit routes and in activity centers. Crossings should be spaced to allow for adequate crossing opportunities.
On facilities that cross or are parallel to the minor arterial with greater emphasis along transit routes and in activity centers. Crossings should be spaced to allow for adequate crossing opportunities.
On, along, or crossing the collector with higher emphasis along transit routes and in activity centers. Crossings should be spaced for adequate crossing opportunities.
On, along, or crossing the local road.
Source: Metropolitan Council, 2040 Transportation Policy Plan, Adopted January 14, 2015.
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The intent of the functional classification system is to create a hierarchy of roads that collect and distribute traffic from neighborhoods to the metropolitan highway system.
Roadways with a higher functional classification, such as arterials, generally provide for
longer trips, have more mobility, have limited access, and connect to larger economic and industrial centers. Roadways with a lower functional classification, such as collectors and
local streets, generally provide for shorter trips, have lower mobility, have more access,
and connect to higher functioning roadways. A balance of all functions of roadways is important for effective operation of the City’s transportation network.
The roadway functional classification is based on several factors, including:
• Trip characteristics such as length of route, type and size of activity centers, and route continuity;
• Access to regional population centers, activity centers, and major traffic generators;
• Proportional balance of access, ease of approaching or entering a location;
• Proportional balance of mobility and ability to move without restrictions;
• Continuity between travel destinations;
• Relationship with neighboring land uses;
• Eligibility for State and Federal funding.
The existing roadway functional classification within the City of Prior Lake is shown in
Figure 5.2. The functional classification system represents the system that has been approved by the Metropolitan Council and is in place at the writing of this document.
Further information on Metropolitan Council functional classification criteria can be found in Appendix D of the Council’s 2040 Transportation Policy Plan.
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1. Principal Arterials Principal arterials are part of the Metropolitan Highway System and provide high-
speed mobility between the Twin Cities and important locations outside the
metropolitan area. They are also intended to connect the central business districts of the Twin Cities along with other regional business concentrations in the metropolitan
area. Principal arterials are generally constructed as limited access freeways in urban
areas and may also be constructed as multiple-lane divided highways.
2. A-Minor Arterials and Other Arterials
Minor arterials also emphasize mobility over land access, serving to connect large cities with adjacent communities and the metropolitan highway system. Major
business concentrations and other important traffic generators are usually located on minor arterial roadways. In urban areas, one- to two-mile spacing of minor arterials is considered appropriate, and most locations within the City of Prior Lake are within one
mile of a minor arterial.
Minor arterials are defined by the Metropolitan Council as roadways of regional
importance as they serve to relieve, expand or complement the principal arterial system. Consistent with Metropolitan Council guidelines, A-Minor arterials are
categorized into four types and are described in further detail below:
• Relievers – Roadways that provide direct relief for metropolitan highway traffic;
• Expanders – Roadways that provide a way to make connections between urban areas outside the I-494/I-694 beltway.
• Connectors – Roadways that provide safe connections to communities at the edge of the urbanized area and in rural areas.
• Augmenters – Roadways that enhance principal arterials within the I-494/I-694 beltway.
A well-planned and adequately designed system of principal and minor arterials will allow the City of Prior Lake’s overall roadway network to function properly and
discourage through traffic from travelling on residential streets. Volumes on principal and minor arterial roadways are expected to be greater than volumes on collector or local roadways.
3. Collectors
Collectors are designed to serve shorter trips that occur within the City and to provide
access from neighborhoods to other collector roadways and the arterial system. Collector roadways are expected to carry less traffic than arterial roadways and
intended to provide access to some local properties. Collectors are typically
categorized as major and minor, with major collectors linking other collectors to minor arterials, and minor collectors linking local streets to other collectors or minor arterials.
4. Local Streets Local streets provide access to adjacent properties and neighborhoods. Local streets
are generally low speed and designed to discourage through traffic. All remaining roadways in the City of Prior Lake that were not listed under the previous functional classifications fall under the local street designation.
5. Proposed Functional Classification Changes The future functional classification within the roadway system is important for
determining access and long-term land use. Occasionally, due to growth and
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development, changes in travel patterns or construction of new facilities, the functional classification needs to be adjusted to reflect changes in the way certain roadways are
utilized. Future functional classification transfers as indicated in the Scott County 2040
Transportation Plan within the City of Prior Lake are listed below:
• CSAH 17 (City of Shakopee to TH 13) from A-Minor Expander to Principal Arterial
• CSAH 42 (City of Shakopee to CSAH 21) from A-Minor Expander to Principal
Arterial
• CSAH 21 (City of Shakopee to CSAH 42) from Principal Arterial to A-Minor Arterial
• CSAH 18 (City of Shakopee to CSAH 42) from A-Minor Expander to Collector
There are no additional recommended functional classification changes to the principal or A-minor arterial systems as part of this plan. The proposed roadway functional classification within the City of Prior Lake is shown in Figure 5.2
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Figure 5.2. Existing and Future Functional Classification
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C. Programmed and Planned Improvements
Table 5.2 identifies programmed roadway improvements from the City of Prior Lake’s
Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the Scott County CIP and MnDOT’s 10-Year Statewide Capital Improvement Plan (CHIP). Programmed improvements have advanced
through the project funding programming process and have funds committed to the
improvement in a designated year; while planned projects have been formally studied and/or included in a transportation plan, but typically no commitments to fund the
improvement have been made.
1. Coordination with Other Jurisdictions
The City of Prior Lake strives to coordinate with adjacent jurisdictions, such as the Cities of Savage and Shakopee, Credit River, Louisville, Sand Creek, and Spring Lake Townships, as well as Scott County, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
and MnDOT when planning future transportation improvements. Coordination among jurisdictions will provide opportunities for collaboration that could benefit all agencies,
City residents, and the public. Additionally, effective coordination may result in
financial and time savings through economies of scale, and potentially reducing construction impacts to residents.
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Table 5.2. List of Programmed Improvements
Roadway Extents Description Timeframe Jurisdiction
TH 13 TH 19 to 0.3 miles south of CSAH 21
Pavement reconstruction 2019 MnDOT
TH 13 at CSAH 12 Intersection improvements 2019 MnDOT, Scott County
TH 13 at CSAH 21 Intersection reconstruction 2019 MnDOT, Scott County CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue) Lakeside Avenue to Franklin Trail Pavement reconstruction 2019 Scott County, Prior Lake
CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue) at TH 13 Reconstruct intersection to roundabout 2019 Scott County
CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue) at Arcadia Avenue Reconstruct intersection to roundabout 2019 Scott County, Prior Lake
CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue) at Duluth Avenue Reconstruct intersection to 3/4 access 2019 Scott County, Prior Lake
Fish Point Road Fawn Meadows to CSAH 21 Pavement Reconstruction 2019 Prior Lake
CSAH 42 CSAH 17 to CSAH 83 Roadway expansion from rural two-lane to rural four- lane divided
2020 Scott County, Prior Lake
Fish Point Road CSAH 44 to TH 13 Pavement reconstruction 2020 Prior Lake
Colorado Street Arcadia Avenue to Main Avenue Pavement reconstruction 2020 Prior Lake
Northwood Road Fremont Avenue to Knollridge Drive Pavement reconstruction 2022 Prior Lake
Northwood Road Knollridge Drive to CSAH 12 (Spring Lake Road)
Pavement reconstruction 2022 Prior Lake
Lakeside Avenue CSAH 21 to Pleasant Street Pavement reconstruction 2023 Prior Lake
Colorado Street Duluth Avenue to Arcadia Avenue Pavement reconstruction 2023 Prior Lake
Duluth Avenue CSAH 21 to TH 13 Pavement reconstruction 2023 Prior Lake
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D. 2040 Travel Demand Forecasts
The pattern and intensity of travel within the City of Prior Lake is directly related to the
distribution and magnitude of households, population, and employment within the community, in neighboring communities and in the overall region.
Land use, travel patterns, population, and employment change over time affect the efficiency and adequacy of the transportation network. Expected changes in the City’s
land use pattern, households, population, and employment will be the basis for estimating
future travel demand within the City of Prior Lake.
E. Land Use The City of Prior Lake has a community designation of emerging suburban edge located
within the Metropolitan Council’s urban service area. Existing land use within the City of Prior Lake is identified in the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
As the metropolitan area moves forward with a greater focus on multimodal transportation, new development and redevelopment in Prior Lake will be constrained by the existing and
future transportation system. The Transportation Plan is designed to assist the City in
developing a transportation system that supports land use and provides safe and efficient movement of people and goods throughout the City.
1. Socioeconomic Data The Metropolitan Council prepared estimates for the overall regional growth in terms
of population, households, and employment for the years 2020, 2030, and 2040,
allocating an appropriate portion to each municipality. Historic and estimated future population, households, and employment levels for the City of Prior Lake are shown
in Table 5.3. Table 5.3. Summary of Socioeconomic Data for Prior Lake
Year Population Households Employment
2010 22,206 8,210 3,766
2020 27,500 10,500 5,000
2030 32,500 12,600 7,000
2040 37,600 14,700 8,100
Source: Metropolitan Council, 2018. Prior Lake, with the assistance of the Metropolitan Council, has estimated existing and
future population, households, and employment levels for sub-areas within the City known as Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs). This information was required to complete
the traffic forecasting procedures used to estimate future roadway traffic volumes. A
map identifying the location of each TAZ within the City and a table summarizing the allocation of socioeconomic data to each TAZ for the year 2020, 2030, and 2040 are provided in Appendix A.
2. Forecast 2040 Traffic Volumes
Estimated 2040 traffic forecasts for the City of Prior Lake were prepared using the
future population, households, and employment data outlined above. These forecasts
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are an essential analytical tool to determine the adequacy of the roadway system to handle future development, as anticipated by the City of Prior Lake and the
Metropolitan Council. In addition to the programmed and planned roadway projects
identified in Table 5.2, the traffic forecast model accounts for future planned improvements that are in the Metropolitan Council’s 2040 TPP for regional highways
outside Prior Lake. The existing traffic volumes are shown in Figure 5.3 and results of
the 2040 traffic forecasts are shown in Figure 5.4.
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Figure 5.3. Existing Traffic Volumes
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Figure 5.4. Future (2040) Forecast Traffic Volumes
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F. Existing and Anticipated System Deficiencies
Congestion on the roadway system is judged to exist when the ratio of traffic volume to
roadway capacity, or Volume Capacity (v/c) ratio, approaches or exceeds 1.00. The v/c ratio provides a measurement of congestion along a stretch of roadway and can help
determine where roadway improvements, access management, transit services, or travel
demand management strategies could be implemented. It does not, however, provide a basis for determining specific intersection improvements.
1. Planning-Level Capacity Thresholds Table 5.4 provides a method to evaluate roadway capacity. For each facility type, the
typical planning-level annual AADT capacity ranges and maximum AADT volume ranges are indicated. These volume ranges are based on guidance from the Highway Capacity Manual, discussions with the Metropolitan Council and professional
engineering judgment. A range is used since the maximum capacity of any roadway design (v/c = 1) is a theoretical measure that can be affected by its functional
classification, traffic peaking characteristics, access spacing, speed, and other
roadway characteristics. Further, to define a facility’s “daily capacity,” it is recommended that the top of each facility type’s volume range be used. This allows
for capacity improvements that can be achieved by roadway performance
enhancements. This planning-level assessment does not supersede the potential need for detailed operational analysis; nor does it preclude the city from making
decisions with respect to the transportation system that are more context based that
this planning-level may accommodate.
Table 5.4. Planning-Level Roadway Capacities by Facility Type
2. Level of Service Level of Service (LOS), as related to highways and local roadways, categorizes the
different operating conditions that occur on a lane or roadway when accommodating various traffic volumes. It is a qualitative measure of the effect of traffic flow factors
such as speed and travel time, interruption, ability to maneuver, driver comfort and
convenience, and is an indirect measure of safety and operating costs. LOS is expressed as levels “A” through “F,” with level “A” being a condition of free traffic flow
with little or no restriction in speed or maneuverability caused by the presence of other
vehicles, and level “F” being a forced-flow condition at low speed with many stoppages resulting in the roadway acting as a storage area. Further definition of LOS is
described in Table 5.5.
Over Capacity
LOS A B C D E F
V/C 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.85 1 >1.0
Two-lane undivided urban 8,000 – 10,000 4,000 6,000 8,500 10,000 > 10,000
Two-lane undivided rural 14,000 – 15,000 6,000 9,000 12,750 15,000 > 15,000
Two-lane divided urban (Three-14,000 – 17,000 6,800 10,200 14,450 17,000 > 17,000
Four-lane undivided urban 18,000 – 22,000 8,800 13,200 18,700 22,000 > 22,000
Four-lane undivided rural 24,000 – 28,000 11,200 16,800 23,800 28,000 > 28,000
Four-lane divided urban (Five-28,000 – 32,000 12,800 19,200 27,200 32,000 > 32,000
Four-lane divided rural 35,000 – 38,000 15,200 22,800 32,300 38,000 > 38,000
Four-lane expressway rural 45,000 – 55,000 18,000 27,000 38,250 45,000 > 45,000
Four-lane freeway 60,000 – 80,000 32,000 48,000 68,000 80,000 > 80,000
Six-lane freeway 90,000 - 120,000 48,000 72,000 102,000 120,000 > 120,000
Facility Type Planning Level Daily
Capacity Ranges (AADT)
5,600
6,400
7,600
9,000
16,000
24,000
Under Capacity Approaching Capacity
2,000
3,000
3,400
4,400
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Table 5.5. Level of Service Definitions
Level of Service (LOS) Traffic Flow Volume/Capacity Ratio Description
A Free Flow Below Capacity 0.20 Low volumes and no delays.
B Stable Flow Below Capacity 0.40 Low volumes and speed dictated by travel conditions.
C Stable Flow Below Capacity 0.60 Speeds and maneuverability closely controlled due to higher volumes.
D Restricted Flow Near Capacity
0.85 Higher density traffic restricts maneuverability and volumes approaching capacity.
E Unstable Flow Approaching Capacity
1.00 Low speeds, considerable delays, and volumes at or slightly over capacity.
F Forced Flow Over Capacity
>1.00 Very low speeds, volumes exceed capacity, and long delays with stop-and-go traffic.
G. Existing and Year 2040 Capacity Deficiencies
The existing and year 2040 traffic volumes were analyzed against the existing and future
number of lanes (see Figure 5.5 and Figure 5.6). The results of this analysis were mapped
to identify roadways that currently exhibit capacity deficiencies (see Figure 5.7 and Figure 5.8).
The methodology described above is a planning-level analysis that uses average daily traffic volumes and is not appropriate for all traffic conditions. For example, traffic
conditions that do not fit the average daily traffic criteria (e.g., weekend travel, holiday travel, special events, etc.) are likely to produce different levels of congestion. Additionally,
factors such as the amount of access and roadway geometrics may influence capacity.
Roadway segments are defined as overcapacity if the volume-to-capacity ratio is at or above 1.0, which signifies that a segment of road has observed volumes which exceed its design capacity. Roadway segments are defined as near capacity if the volume- to-
capacity ratio is at or above 0.85.
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Figure 5.5. Existing Number of Lanes
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Figure 5.6. Future Number of Lanes
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Figure 5.7. Existing Capacity Deficiencies
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Figure 5.8. Future (2040) Forecasted Capacity Deficiencies
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H. Roadway Safety
A central focus of the City of Prior Lake’s Transportation Plan is roadway safety. To assist
in the evaluation of crashes, MnDOT maintains a database of crash records throughout the State of Minnesota. These records identify the location, severity and circumstances
associated with each crash. As shown in Table 5.6, this dataset was reviewed to identify
the quantity, location, and severity of crashes in the City of Prior Lake for years 2011 to 2015.
Table 5.6. Motor Vehicle Crashes in Prior Lake (2011 to 2015)
Year
Fatal
Personal Injury Crashes
Property Damage
Total Crashes Type A Incapacitating Injury
Type B Non- Incapacitating Injury
Type C Possible Injury
2011 1 3 13 21 16 54
2012 1 3 13 36 16 69
2013 1 6 8 35 24 74
2014 0 2 15 30 27 74
2015 0 3 15 34 44 96
Totals 3 17 64 156 127 367
These crashes were generally widely distributed throughout the City with most locations
accounting for only one or two incidents, suggesting that a crash at that location was a random event. However, several of these crashes were concentrated at a limited number
of locations. The 10 intersection locations with the highest frequency of crashes between
2011 and 2015 are listed in Table 5.7 and illustrated in Figure 5.9. These intersections were also evaluated for the critical index using MnDOT’s crash rate methodology, also
indicated in Table 5.7. Following MnDOT guidelines, a critical index of 1.00 or less indicates performance within statewide trends, and a critical index above 1.00 indicates that the intersection operates outside the normally expected range.
1. Critical Index
The critical index is the ratio of the observed crash rate to the critical crash rate. Critical
indexes above 1.00 indicate there is likely an existing safety concern at the intersection. Additional analysis and observation of the intersection should be
completed to determine the cause of the high critical index. Based on this conclusion,
further investigation is recommended at the crash locations with a critical index above 1.00 as identified in Table 5.7 to determine the types of crashes occurring and identify
mitigation approaches to increase safety.
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Table 5.7. Top 10 Intersection Crash Locations in Prior Lake (2011 to 2015)
Intersection
Severity Traffic Control Critical Index Severity Index Fatal Type A Type B Type C Property Damage
1. CSAH 42 (140th Street) and Mystic Lake Drive 0 1 6 12 6 Signal 0.72 0.74
2. TH 13 and CSAH 44 (160th Street) 0 1 0 10 10 Signal 0.54 0.69
3. TH 13 and Fish Point Road 0 0 2 8 10 Signal 0.56 0.00
4. TH 13 and CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue) 0 0 0 4 13 Signal 0.33 0.00
5. CSAH 42 (140th Street) and CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue/Herrgott Memorial Drive) 0 0 2 8 2 Signal 0.34 0.00
6. CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue) and Franklin Trail 0 0 4 5 1 Signal 0.28 0.00
7. CSAH 21 (Eagle Creek Avenue) and CSAH 82 (154th Street) 0 0 0 5 2 Signal 0.23 0.00
8. TH 13 and Panama Avenue/Five Hawks Avenue 0 0 0 4 2 Signal 0.17 0.00
9. CSAH 42 (140th Street) and Mckenna Road 0 0 0 5 1 Signal 0.25 0.00
10. TH 13 and Franklin Trail 1 0 1 2 1 Thru / Stop 0.34 0.65
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Figure 5.9. Crash Data (2011 to 2015)
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As shown above, all the crash hotspots occurred at signalized intersections in the City of Prior Lake. The overwhelming crash types occurring at these intersections include: Rear
end, right angle, and left turn into traffic. These crash types commonly occur at signalized
intersections due to the nature of how these intersections operate. MnDOT’s Traffic Safety Fundamentals Handbook (2015) recommends the following strategies to reduce
frequency and severity of intersection crashes:
• Use of multiphase signal operation combined with left turn lanes
• Provide a coordinated signal system along urban arterials
• Use overhead indications – one per through lane mounted at the center of each lane
• Provide dilemma zone protection and optimize clearance intervals
• Use advance-warning flashers to supplement static signs where a signal may be unexpected
• Pedestrian indications including the use of countdown timers
Additionally, an intersection traffic control change such as a roundabout or grade
separation can also be considered. Roundabouts may have less crashes or as many crashes as a traffic signal, however the types of crashes associated with roundabouts tend
to be less serve. Grade separating an intersection would provide the greatest reduction in intersection conflict points which would most likely reduce the frequency and severity of crashes. A more detailed intersection traffic study will need to be completed to determine
the appropriate traffic control type.
I. Right-of-Way
Right-of-way (ROW) is a valuable public asset that needs to be protected and managed
in a way that respects the intended function of the adjacent roadway, while serving the
best interest of the public. The City of Prior Lake will likely construct new roadway segments to meet future capacity and connectivity demands due to the City’s current and
anticipated growth. Such improvements will require adequate ROW be maintained or
secured. The City will coordinate with MnDOT and Scott County for ROW acquisition along County or State routes.
All planned and programmed improvements (Table 5.2) and recommended roadway improvements (Figure 5.10) will allow the minimum right-of-way requirements below in
Table 5.8. Table 5.8. Prior Lake Right-of-Way Guidelines
Functional Classification Roadway Width ROW Widths1
Arterial Street 44 feet 80 feet
Collector Street 36 feet 66 feet
Commercial Street 36 feet 60 feet
Local Roadways 32 feet 50 feet
Note: Due to certain development conditions or physical features of the site or highway, the City
may require additional ROW width greater than shown in the guidelines. At intersections, ROW widths may be greater to accommodate additional geometric configurations such as signals, turn
lanes, and roundabouts.
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1. Right-of-Way Preservation When future expansion or realignment of a roadway is proposed, but cannot
immediately be constructed, the City may consider ROW preservation strategies to
reduce costs and maintain the feasibility of the proposed improvement. Several strategies may be implemented to preserve ROW for future construction, including
advanced purchase, zoning and subdivision dedication techniques, official mapping,
and corridor signing. Before implementing any ROW preservation programs, local agencies should consider the risks of proceeding with ROW preservation without
environmental documentation, as MnDOT policy requires environmental
documentation prior to purchase. If environmental documentation has not been completed, agencies risk preserving a corridor or parcel that has associated
environmental issues. J. Direct Purchase
One way to preserve ROW is to purchase it. Unfortunately, agencies rarely have the
necessary funds to purchase ROW in advance, and the public benefit of purchasing ROW
is not realized until a roadway or transportation facility is constructed. In most cases, local jurisdictions utilize various corridor preservation methods prior to roadway construction
and then purchase the ROW, if it is not dedicated, at the time of design and construction.
K. Planning and Zoning Authority
Local agencies have the authority to regulate existing and future land use. Under this authority, agencies have several tools for preserving right-of-way for transportation
projects. These tools include:
• Zoning – If the property has a very low-density zoning classification, local agencies
should try to maintain its existing zoning classification. A low zoning classification limits the risk for significant development and can help preserve land for potential ROW until
funding becomes available for roadway construction.
• Platting and Subdivision Regulations – Local platting and subdivision regulations give
local agencies authority to consider future roadway alignments during the platting
process since most properties must be platted before development. The City of Prior Lake can use their authority to regulate land development to influence plat
configuration and the location of proposed roadways. In most instances, planning and
engineering staff work with developers to formulate a plat that meets development objectives and conforms to a long-term community vision and plans. Most local
agencies require ROW dedication as part of the platting and subdivision process.
• Official Mapping – A final strategy to preserve ROW is to adopt an Official Map. An
Official Map is developed by the local governmental unit and identifies the centerline
and ROW needed for a future roadway. The local agency then holds a public hearing showing the location of the future roadway and incorporates the Official Map into its
thoroughfare or community facilities plan. The mapping process allows agencies to control proposed development within an identified area, and to influence development on adjacent parcels. However, if a directly affected property owner requests to develop
property, agencies have six months to initiate acquisition and purchase of the property to prevent its development. If the property is not purchased, the owner can develop it in conformance with current zoning and subdivision regulations. As a result, this
process should only be used for preserving key corridors in areas with significant growth pressures.
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L. Corridor Signing Program
In addition to land use regulations, some jurisdictions have used a corridor signing
program to identify arterial roadways that are planned for expansion projects. This signage program notifies residents and potential developers that the roadway is planned to be
upgraded or a new roadway is planned to be constructed. This often streamlines
negotiations with residents and developers since they have been given advanced notice of major roadway expansion projects. Further, this advanced information aids developers
in planning coordinated land uses and access management measures into their
subdivisions. Signs are generally placed along section line roads on the urban fringe near the City limits or within a City’s extraterritorial expansion area.
M. Access Management
Access management is an important aspect of providing a safe and efficient roadway network. Control of access to roadways, both in terms of cross-street spacing and
driveway placement, is a critical means of preserving or enhancing the efficient operation
of the roadway system and improving safety by reducing crash exposure. Access control guidelines are used to preserve the public investment in the roadway system and to give
direction to developers for plan preparation. The guidelines are intended to balance the
public interest in mobility with the property owners interest in access. Access refers to providing roadway access to properties and is needed at both ends of a trip. Mobility is
the ability to get from one place to another freely or easily. Most roadways serve both
functions to some degree based on their functional classification. Effective control of driveway access on the entire roadway system requires the cooperation of City, County,
and State officials.
MnDOT has developed a policy on access management and guidelines for access
spacing. MnDOT’s Highway Access Category System and Spacing Guidelines can be found at: https://www.dot.state.mn.us/accessmanagement/resources.html
1. Access to Principal Arterials The City of Prior Lake should follow MnDOT guidelines for access to principal arterials. These guidelines recommend limiting cross-street access to one-half mile spacing
within urbanized areas, with one- to two-mile spacing being optimal. No new driveway access is permitted to principal arterials.
CSAH 42 is an important regional roadway and is classified as a principal arterial; however, corridor speeds are currently around 40 mph and are expected to deteriorate
as growth continues, even if capacity needs are met. TH 169, by comparison, has
fewer access points and corridor speeds average closer to 60 mph. Access from northern Scott County to interchanges along I-35 is limited due to the low number of
east-west routes. This leads to increased demand placed on the east-west access
points available such as TH 13, CSAH 42, and CSAH 21. There are few opportunities to add east-west corridors that connect with I-35 due to environmental and economic
considerations.
2. Access to Minor Arterials
The City of Prior Lake strives to meet Scott County guidelines for access to the minor arterial system. These guidelines generally call for one-quarter mile spacing of all access points such as cross streets and driveways.
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3. Driveway Access on City Streets (Collectors and Local Roads) Driveways contribute to crashes and reduced traffic flow on major streets in local
communities as they add to the number of locations where vehicle conflicts can occur.
Therefore, it is desirable to have guidelines in place that:
• Limit the number of driveways to those that are needed to safely accommodate the traffic generated by each development;
• Provide adequate spacing between driveways so conflicts and resulting crashes between vehicles maneuvering at adjacent driveways are avoided;
• Ensure proper design to accommodate driveway traffic and minimize vehicle conflicts without significantly reducing roadway capacity.
Occasionally topographic features of an individual site or the needs of a unique land use may require special access features in a proposed development. The City of Prior
Lake may wish to withhold approval of such developments or site changes until a study
has been made of the potential impacts on the affected roadways and the adequacy of the proposed access design determined. The City may require that the following
steps be included in the traffic study for the site:
• Estimate site traffic generation and future non-site traffic;
• Determine directional distribution of trips;
• Estimate turning movements at driveway and the resulting level of service;
• Analyze current and future access requirements;
• Provide necessary geometric and operational improvements to safely accommodate access requirements without negative impacts to traffic operation
on the adjoining roadways. The City of Prior Lake will continue to support MnDOT and Scott County’s access
management guidelines on the principal and minor arterial roadway network in the City through the measures listed above. In addition, the City utilizes Scott County’s access
spacing guidelines to guide access decisions on the City’s arterial and collector
roadway network.
N. Traffic Management Strategies
1. Traffic Signals
A well-coordinated traffic signal system will promote the efficient flow of traffic along the A-minor arterials in the City of Prior Lake, as this type of system reduces the likelihood of through traffic diverting to local streets. The City will work with Scott
County to periodically monitor the progression of traffic signals on key County
roadways to ensure efficient system operation.
Operational refinement of the signal system will take place on an ongoing basis. New traffic signals will be built at intersections where specific signal warrants are achieved, and funding is available. Intersection improvements will be considered on a site-by-
site basis and will be constructed consistently with the warrants identified in the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) when funding is
available. Warrants include specific thresholds relating to traffic volumes and
considerations of safety and pedestrian activity.
2. Stop Signs
The City of Prior Lake receives numerous requests for the installation of stop signs to
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manage speed and other perceived traffic safety problems in residential neighborhoods. City traffic engineers will evaluate each stop sign request by utilizing
MnDOT’s uniform traffic warrant criteria.
3. Traffic Calming
The primary function of minor collector and local streets is to provide access to
residences and other uses along the roadway. However, these streets may also provide routes for traveling to and from or passing through a neighborhood. Conflicts
arise between these latter functions when residents become concerned about traffic
volumes, speeds and pedestrian safety.
Traffic calming generally refers to strategic physical changes made to streets to reduce vehicle speeds, improve safety, discourage through traffic on residential streets, and decrease the automobile’s visual dominance in a neighborhood setting. There are
several activities that may be referred to as traffic calming, examples of which include raised intersections and crosswalks, roundabouts, curvilinear streets, street
narrowing, raised medians and islands, pedestrian treatments, and streetscaping.
These traffic calming treatments are considered for low volume local and minor collector streets where excessive speeds pose a safety problem. The City of Prior
Lake will consider requests for traffic calming devices on a case-by-case basis.
O. Recommended Roadway System Improvements
Future roadway improvements designed to address system connectivity, continuity, congestion and safety issues are planned and recommended for the roadway system in
the City of Prior Lake. Recommended roadway improvements are shown in Figure 5.10
and are derived from the combination of system needs and the intended function of each roadway as it relates to the adjacent supporting land use. It should be noted that
improvements discussed in this section do not include spot intersection improvements or trails.
The determination of which projects will be built, and their proper sequencing, will be determined through each jurisdictions programming process that considers the estimated
cost of each project, available financing and coordination with other projects.
1. MnDOT Roadways
These improvements are on the regional highway system and are primarily MnDOT's
responsibility. The timing of these projects is uncertain.
• TH 13 from Fish Point Road to S Park Drive – Recommend capacity increase (2018 V/C is 1.00, 2040 V/C projected to be 1.13).
• TH 13 from Franklin Trail to CSAH 44 (160th Street) – Recommend capacity increase (2040 V/C projected to be 1.16).
Note that two intersections along this stretch (TH 13) were recently updated during the “current” condition time horizon. It is believed that these improvements will result in
acceptable operations well into the future. Therefore, it is recommended these
segments are monitored into the future to ensure overall corridor functions acceptably.
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2. Scott County Roadways The following projects are on the County roadway system and are the County's
responsibility, although the City participates financially and therefore must include
them in the City’s Plan and the City’s CIP.
• CH 42 expansion 2 lane to a 4-lane divided highway from CH 17 to CH 83 (2020).
• CH 17 expansion from 2 lane to a 4-lane divided highway from approximately
1.000 feet south of Ch 82 to Ch 42 (2026). 3. City of Prior Lake Roadways
• None
All improvement considerations should account for safety and access improvements as well.
P. Transportation Planning
The City of Prior Lake has participated in transportation studies over the years to assess
the transportation network and establish plans to ensure the network functions well in the future while addressing land use, transportation and environmental impacts.
1. Completed Studies The following studies are officially incorporated and made part of this
Comprehensive Plan:
• CH 17 / TH 13 Corridor Study (2009) Scott County and MnDOT, along with the
Cities of Shakopee and Prior Lake, and Spring Lake and Cedar Lake Townships, identified a long-term vision for preserving the function and mobility of County
Highway 17 (CH 17) and Minnesota Trunk Highway 13 (TH 13).
• CH 42 Vision & Implementation Plan (2003) The Highway 42 Plan provides
guidance for planning the future of this important regional roadway, how it should be designed, what areas should be preserved for expansion, and what projects should be implemented in the future.
• CH 21 Extension EIS (2006) Environmental review documents for the CH 21
corridor extension project in Shakopee and Prior Lake. Study of this corridor began
in the 1990s and included an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
• CH 21 Corridor Study (2003) The purpose of this study was to address existing and future deficiencies along CH 21 between CH 82 and CH 87 in the City of Prior
Lake.
• CH 12 Alignment Study (2003) The purpose of this study was to identify an
alignment through the Spring Lake Regional Park area in order to accommodate the desire to provide a future picnic area between the shoreline and CH 12. This
road segment was constructed in 2006. 2. Future Studies
Scott County has identified several transportation system issues that require further study; the areas within the City of Prior Lake are included in the list below. Future
studies are identified annually in the Scott County TIP process and programmed for
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funding accordingly. Studies can also be identified as development issues arise or at the request of other agencies.
• CH 17 from CH 42 to TH 282 principal arterial grade separation and access study to identify preferred access locations and grade separation concepts.
• Countywide Trail Gap Study to identify gaps in the existing and planned trail
system and recommend short- and long-term implementation strategies.
• Transit Accessibility and Pedestrian Infrastructure Gap Analysis Study to identify infrastructure gaps and work with cities to look at implementation on County and city roadways to improve transit access.
• CH 17 / CH 82 Interchange Feasibility Study to determine the long-term solution
for the reduction of safety concerns at the existing intersection.
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Figure 5.10. Recommended Roadway Improvements
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5.4 Transit System
As more people choose to live, work, and travel in Prior Lake, public transit is a key
component of meeting mobility needs and linking the City’s residents to regional job centers and activities. Transit systems, both fixed route and demand-response, provide
for the varied transit needs of the City. Affordable and convenient transit is an essential
characteristic of an urban community.
Transit is an important element in the overall transportation network as it offers access to
medical care, shopping, and government services for those who cannot access or operate a vehicle, provides opportunities for people who prefer an alternative to automobile travel,
and removes a portion of existing or future automobile traffic from the roadway, reducing travel time and congestion for other vehicles on the roadway.
The City of Prior Lake is committed to supporting and preserving existing transit services and facilities while also seeking ways to improve and expand the transit system. The City
can support transit service by promoting more transit supportive land use patterns as
sections of the community continue to develop.
This section of the Transportation Plan identifies the existing transit-related services,
facilities, and programs within the City of Prior Lake, suggests improvements, and discusses the City’s role in supporting the transit system.
The transit system in the City of Prior Lake is typical of suburban cities that are still developing or approaching full development. The most visible services within the City are
the express routes to downtown Minneapolis that operate during the peak periods from
strategically located stations and park and rides. While this service is the most prominent, it is only one element of a comprehensive collection of services, facilities, and programs
that includes express and local routes, demand responsive services, and transit alternatives.
A. Transit Market Areas
There are five existing transit service areas for all communities within the Twin Cities
metropolitan area as identified by the Metropolitan Council 2040 Transportation Policy Plan, 2015. The market service areas are defined by:
• Population density
• Employment density
• Automobile availability
• Intersection density
Table 5.9 describes community, land use, ridership potential, and transit service characteristics for the three transit market areas within the City of Prior Lake. The City is classified as an Emerging Suburban Edge Community, with the northern portion of the
City classified as Transit Market Area IV, the southwest portion classified as Transit Market Area V, and the eastern portion classified as Emerging Market Area III. Prior Lake’s
suburban roadway pattern and moderate densities provide moderate potential for transit
service options. Additionally, Figure 5.11 displays the transit market areas within Prior Lake along with the City’s existing transit system.
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Table 5.9. Metropolitan Council Transit Market Areas in Prior Lake
Transit Market Area Propensity to Use Transit Market Area Description and Typical Transit Services Presence in Prior Lake
IV
Approximately half ridership potential of Market Area III.
Transit Market Area IV has lower concentrations of population and employment and a higher rate of auto ownership. It is primarily composed of Suburban Edge and Emerging Suburban Edge communities. This market can support peak-period express bus services if a sufficient concentration of commuters likely to use transit service is located along a corridor. The low- density development and suburban form of development presents challenges to fixed-route transit. Public dial-a-ride services are appropriate in Market Area IV.
Northern and central Prior Lake.
V
Lowest potential for transit ridership.
Transit Market Area V has very low population and employment densities and tends to be primarily Rural communities and Agricultural uses. Public dial-a-ride service may be appropriate here, but due to the very low-intensity land uses these areas are not well-suited for fixed-route transit service.
Southwestern Prior Lake
Emerging Area III
Varies. Typically matches surrounding Market Area.
The Emerging Market Overlay identifies locations within Transit Market Areas III and IV that have a higher potential for transit usage than the rest of the market areas surrounding them. These areas are currently too small or non-contiguous to support a higher level of transit service. Focusing growth in and around these areas to connect to other areas of higher potential transit use will present good opportunities for future transit improvement.
Eastern Prior Lake
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Figure 5.11. Existing Transit System
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B. Transit Services
The following public transit providers operate in the City of Prior Lake:
• Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA)
• Metro Mobility – Metro South Zone First Transit South
• Transit Link (Metropolitan Council Demand-Response Service)
• Scott County SmartLink Transit
• Metropolitan Council
1. Fixed-Route Transit Service
Fixed-route transit service includes both local and express bus service that operates on a regular schedule and follows a consistent route. Fixed-route transit service in
Prior Lake is primarily provided by MVTA. MVTA also offer demand responsive
services where regular route transit service is infrequent or unavailable and service for seniors and people with a disability or health condition. Table 5.10 describes the
characteristics of the transit routes serving the City of Prior Lake. Table 5.10. Characteristics of Fixed Routes Serving Prior Lake
Route Provider Type Weekday Trips Service Area
411 Local
Mystic Lake Local Bus Route
M-W (5) AM (9) PM trips.
Th-F (5) AM (12) PM trips
Sat-Sun (3) AM (11) PM Trips
Marschall Road Transit Station and Mystic Lake.
490
MVTA
Express Bus Route
(8) morning trips;
(8) afternoon trips.
University of Minnesota, Downtown Minneapolis: Marquette Avenue Stop C, 2nd Avenue Stop E, Shakopee: Southbridge Crossings Park & Ride, Eagle Creek Park & Ride, Dakotah Parkway, Downtown Prior Lake.
491
MVTA
Express Bus Route
(3) morning trips;
(2) afternoon trips.
Downtown Minneapolis, Gateway Ramp, Eagan: Cedar Grove Transit Station Shakopee: Southbridge Crossings Park & Ride, Eagle Creek Park & Ride, Dakotah Parkway, Downtown Prior Lake.
492
MVTA
Express Bus Route
(4) afternoon and evening trips.
Downtown Minneapolis, Gateway Ramp, Eagan: Cedar Grove Transit Station Shakopee: Southbridge Crossings Park & Ride, Eagle Creek Park & Ride, Dakotah Parkway, Downtown Prior Lake.
495
MVTA
Local Bus Route
(5) morning trips; (6) afternoon and evening trips.
Shakopee: Mystic Lake Casino Marschall Road Transit Station, Amazon
Burnsville: Burnsville Transit Station
Bloomington: Mall of America
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2. Other Transit Services
a. Metro Mobility – Metro South Zone First Transit South
Metro Mobility is a federally mandated paratransit service per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The service, provided by the Metropolitan Council, is a
shared ride public transportation service for certified riders who are unable to use
regular fixed-route buses, including Prior Lake Transit, due to a disability or health condition. Trips are provided for any purpose. ADA guidelines determine eligibility
for Metro Mobility services.
b. Transit Link (Metropolitan Council Demand-Response Service)
Transit Link is an alternative transit service provided by the Metropolitan Council
and is a curb-to-curb minibus or van service for the public that operates on weekdays throughout the seven-county metropolitan area including the City of
Prior Lake. It is a shared-ride service, which must be reserved. You may reserve a ride up to five days in advance or call at least two hours in advance for same-day trips. Rides are subject to availability and fares are based on time of day used
and with an added surcharge of $.75 for more than 15 miles.
c. Scott County SmartLink Transit
SmartLink is integrated with the Dial-A-Ride and ADA services of the surrounding metropolitan communities including the City of Prior Lake via the regional Metro
Mobility and Transit Link systems. Customer service agents can schedule service
for anywhere in the seven-county metro area. These trips may require transfers to other service buses.
3. Regional Transitways
The future Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Extension would be the catalyst for
Prior Lake Transit to implement a new limited stop bus route connecting Prior Lake to a future Orange Line BRT station. This new route would most likely be part of a larger
local fixed route circulator. The new route would be dependent of funding availability.
C. Travel Demand Management for Transit
Travel Demand Management (TDM) services include programs that promote and support
any alternative to commuting via single-occupant vehicle (SOV) and may include ride-
matching, carpool or vanpool services as previously described. Transit promotions, employer-subsidized bus passes, flexible work hours, and telecommuting are some of the
possible strategies to reduce SOV use. Metropolitan Council provides a regional TDM
service through its Metro Commuter Services group, and the City of Prior Lake residents may use services and programs free of charge to benefit employee travel arrangements
and budgets. Smartlink Transit and MVTA offer travel trainer services that educate
citizens on how to access and use all modes of transportation in Prior Lake
5.5 Bicycle and Trail System
A. Planning for a Connected Pedestrian and Bicycle System
The City of Prior Lake is an emerging suburban edge community that has experienced significant growth over the last several decades. Throughout this expansion, the City has
been implementing a plan for park and trail development that provides residents with a well-established system of recreational amenities. These amenities include trails and
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sidewalks that provide important enhancements to the City’s transportation system and allow residents and visitors an alternative approach for travelling to work, school,
employment centers and transit centers. The City of Prior Lake continues to improve its
trail system and future multimodal planning will focus on filling gaps in the existing local trail system and connecting the local system to the regional parks and trail systems,
regional employment clusters and the regional transit system.
B. Existing Trail System
The City of Prior Lake has a well-developed local trail system including connections to City Parks, Three Rivers Park District Regional Parks, regional trails, and regional search
corridors that extend through the City. Over the last decade, Prior Lake has incorporated
off-street trails, sidewalks, and bikeways into major roadway improvements throughout the City, creating key linkages within the bicycle network. Many roadway improvement
projects have included trails on both sides of roadways, providing more connections to neighborhoods and local trails and enhancing the local trail system. As the City’s trail system continues to expand, it will be important to identify gaps in the existing system and
implement enhancements to the future system to improve connections and provide additional access to regional parks and trails and connections to regional employment
clusters. Figure 5.12 identifies the existing and future trail system in Prior Lake.
C. Gaps in the Trail System
The local trail system within the City of Prior Lake is robust and includes important north-south and east-west trails that serve as the main arteries to a growing network. Improving
the local trail system involves identifying gaps and planning to fill those gaps to enhance
connections to key destinations within and outside City limits. The primary connections for the local trail system include the following:
• Connections to local parks and schools;
• Connections to regional parks and trails;
• Connections to regional employment clusters;
• Connections to the regional transit system;
• Connections to the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN). There were no gaps in the local bicycle or trail networks identified.
D. Connections to Regional Employment Clusters
The Metropolitan Council has not identified regional destinations such as regional job and activity centers with the City, however the City of Prior Lake has identified three local
employment clusters that are characterized by significant retail, professional services,
commercial, and industrial development. The three local employment clusters include:
• TH 13 at CSAH 42 (140th Street)
• CSAH 83 (Mystic Lake Drive) at CSAH 82 (154th Street)
• TH 13 at CSAH 21 (Credit River Road)
Creating strong multi-modal connections to regional employment clusters with trails and sidewalks will enhance the trail network within Prior Lake by providing residents and
visitors alternatives to driving to frequently utilized services. The regional employment
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clusters are commonly located at the intersection of major highways and can create obstacles for local trails often due to the presence of large bridges and expansive
intersections nearby or within the regional employment cluster locations. Planning for trail
connections to regional employment cluster locations is an important first step in ensuring that future development includes multi-modal facility enhancements, such as off-road
trails, independent pedestrian bridges, and ADA compliant roadway crossings.
Another important element of the City’s trail system is its relationship to the local transit
system. Better trail connectivity to transit facilities such as bus stops as well as commercial
areas in the City offer users the opportunity to utilize the existing trail system to travel throughout the City. By increasing the number of trail connections to the transit system
commuters may be encouraged to utilize transit-related transportation. As additional
transit facilities are developed within Prior Lake, the City will need to ensure adequate pedestrian and bicycle trail connections are available.
E. Regional Parks System Components
Regional parks system components such as regional parks, park reserves, special recreation features, and regional trails are identified in the 2040 Metropolitan Council
Regional Parks Policy Plan. The regional parks within and adjacent to the City of Prior
Lake are the Spring Lake Regional Park and Cleary Lake Regional Park. Additionally, the regional trail within the City of Prior Lake is the Scott West Regional Trail. Further
information regarding this regional trail is listed below:
• Scott West Regional Trail – This is a regional trail that includes segments that are
open to the public as well as planned segments that will be developed in the future. The Scott West Regional Trail serves as a compliment to local and non-regional
County trails by crossing municipal boundaries and acting to connect cities, townships,
and other regional destinations. The Scott West Regional Trail currently connects Cleary Lake Regional Park to Spring Lake Regional Park, and once completed, will
create a connection between the State Trail in downtown Shakopee to Prior Lake and
Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve.
Additionally, Spring Lake Regional Park is in Prior Lake and features lake shore on both
Spring Lake and Prior Lake. The park was acquired by Scott County in 1968 and was officially opened for public use in 2012. The park currently features 4.4 miles of paved trail
and a popular 10-acre dog park. The park’s internal trail loops have several spurs which make connections to the surrounding neighborhoods. The park currently offers seven different points of entry and connects to the Scott West Regional Trail. When fully
developed, the Scott West Regional Trail will connect Spring Lake Regional Park to Cleary Lake and Murphy-Hanrehan in the east and will also connect to downtown Shakopee in the north. The master planned Spring Lake Regional Trail will connect to the park in the
south and provide a connection to Downtown Jordan and across the Minnesota River into Carver County once developed.
F. Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN)
The City of Prior Lake is a leader in developing bicycle and trail facilities and planning the
next phases of the multi- modal system within the City should correspond closely to the corridors identified in the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network to provide seamless
connections to neighboring communities and the broader regional transportation network.
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The RBTN was developed as part of the to the Metropolitan Council 2014 Regional Bicycle System Study, which highlights important regional transportation connections for cyclists.
The RBTN serves as framework for designated regional corridors and alignments and
defines critical bicycle transportation links to help municipalities guide their bikeway planning and development. The RBTN is subdivided into two tiers for regional planning
and investment prioritization:
1. RBTN Tier 1
These corridors and alignments have been determined to provide the best
transportation connectivity to regional facilities and developed areas and are given the highest priority for transportation funding. Currently there are no RBTN Tier 1
alignments or corridors in Prior Lake.
2. RBTN Tier 2
These corridors and alignments are the second highest priority for funding. They provide connections to regional facilities in neighboring cities and serve to connect priority regional bicycle transportation corridors and alignments. RBTN Tier 2 corridors
and alignments within Prior Lake include:
• CSAH 42 (140th Street) (Alignment)
• CSAH 82 (Howard Lake Road/154th Street) (Alignment)
• CSAH 83 (Mystic Lake Drive) (Alignment)
• CSAH 21 (Credit River Road) (Alignment)
G. Linking Local Trails to the RBTN
The goal of the RBTN is to develop an integrated seamless system of on-street bikeways and off-road trails that complement each other to most effectively improve conditions for bicycle transportation at the regional level. Cities, such as Prior Lake, are encouraged to
plan for and implement future bikeways within and along these designated corridors and
alignments to support the RBTN vision.
The RBTN corridors and alignments make up the trunk arterials of the overall system of bikeways that connect to regional employment and activity centers. These are not intended to be the only bicycle facilities in the region, and local municipalities, such as
Prior Lake, are encouraged to consider planning for any additional bike facilities desired by their communities. RBTN corridors are shown where more specific alignments within
those corridors have not yet been designated, so the City of Prior Lake is encouraged to
use their comprehensive planning process to identify suitable alignments within the RBTN corridors.
In addition, it is recommended for the City of Prior Lake to consider planning local on- and off-road bikeway networks to connect to the designated Tier 1 and Tier 2 alignments, as
well as any new network alignments within RBTN corridors to be proposed in future comprehensive plans. Currently, local trails in Prior Lake provide important connections to the existing Scott West Regional Trail) and planned Spring Lake Regional Trail.
Additional details of the RBTN in Prior Lake are indicated in Figure 5.12.
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Figure 5.12. Existing and Future Bicycle and Trail System
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5.5 Freight System
Freight transportation is the movement of goods and products from one point in the
production process to another. This includes raw commodities such as corn and soybeans and finished products such as clothing and electronics. Freight transportation is not a
mode of transportation but includes several modes that focus on the movement of goods
instead of people. The most significant transportation modes utilized by freight haulers in the City of Prior Lake and the surrounding Scott County region include trucks on highways,
followed by waterways and rail.
A. Existing Freight System
A major component of Prior Lake’s freight system is the existing roadway network as identified in Figure 5.13. The key freight corridor within Prior Lake is TH 13. The TH 13
corridor serves multiple commercial areas within the City and provides an alternative route and connection between heavily utilized freight corridors TH 169 and I-35W. Additionally,
the commercial development in the northwest quadrant of the intersection of CSAH 83 at
CSAH 82 is identified as a major economic cluster generating significant freight activity within the City and serving as a center for both employment and the generation of truck
trips within Scott County. A previously utilized freight railroad is aligned northwest to
southeast in central Prior Lake and is now abandon and no longer in operation.
B. Regional Freight System
The Metropolitan Council’s Regional Truck Highway Corridor Study, completed in 2017,
identified and prioritized the improvement of the most significant regional truck highway
corridors. The study identified TH 13 in Savage from US 169 to I-35W as a Tier 1 regional truck corridor. The study notes that while the Interstate Highway System is the region’s
freight backbone, it is supported by a critical network of principal and minor arterials that serve as relievers to the Interstate system, as well as providing door-to-door access to manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, intermodal freight hubs, and ultimately
retailers and customers. In the analysis, the TH 13 corridor was ranked second in the top thirty truck delay hotspots on non-Interstate Tier 1 corridors, with 60 hours of delay
eastbound and 48 hours of delay westbound on average per day.
In addition to TH 13, Tier 1 Corridors in Scott County include US 169, I-35, and CSAH 83
from US 169 to CSAH 101 in Shakopee. Tier 3 Corridors include TH 13 in Prior Lake from
TH 282 to TH 13 in Savage, along with TH 19, TH 21, TH 282, CSAH 101, and CSAH 42. Additionally, US 169 is identified by MnDOT as a Current Best Route Oversize/Overweight
(OSOW) Super Load Corridor and US 169, TH 13, and I-35W are identified as routes on
the National Twin Trailer Truck Network.
Railroads in Scott County serve regional agriculture and industrial uses. The two carriers
that currently operate in Scott County are the Union Pacific Railroad, owner of two lines and 60 miles, and the Canadian Pacific
Railroad, with two miles of track. If any railroad line is up for abandonment, the County will evaluate preservation of the corridor for multiple transportation needs. For example, the
Union Pacific spur line that connects Scott and Carver County was abandoned and acquired by the County for a future utility, transportation, and trail corridor.
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The Ports of Savage located in Savage along the Minnesota River is a nationally prominent port for the shipment of grain and other commodities and provides the only
commercial navigation access to the Minnesota River in the metropolitan area. The Ports
of Savage includes five private terminals, including Cargill, CHS Inc., Bunge, and Superior Minerals and is identified as both a Barge/Truck Terminal by the Metropolitan Council and
as a River Intermodal Facility by MnDOT.
One to three million tons of product was handled annually through the Ports of Savage
between 2012 and 2015. The peak shipping season generally begins in mid-March and
runs until the end of November. About 75 percent of the tonnage to and from the terminals is distributed by truck. This amounts to an estimated 128,000 truck trips in an 8.5- month
season. Canadian Pacific owns the north-south railroad line that crosses over TH 13, just east of Yosemite Avenue. This line is commonly known as the Dan Patch Corridor and runs between Northfield and Minneapolis and is a potential commuter rail corridor and/or
vehicle or bicycle trail corridor utilizing the existing swing bridge crossing location over the Minnesota River, which has been out of service for a decade. The Dan Patch Corridor is
currently classified as an inactive rail line south of TH 13. North of TH 13 the line is leased
by Twin Cities & Western Railroad and is used for storing and switching train cars in the Ports of Savage Area.
The nearby merging of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers means the Ports of Savage have access to the Mississippi River shipping system. The river system supports five port
areas in Minnesota with a combined 2016 transported tonnage of 11.6 million tons. The
Ports of Savage is the second busiest port in the system. Minnesota's largest river tonnage commodities are agricultural products, namely corn, soybeans, and wheat. Minnesota
agriculture ships over 60 percent of its total agricultural exports down the Mississippi River.
River ports also handle dry cargo products such as coal, fertilizer, minerals, salt, cement, steel products, scrap, and liquid products including petroleum, caustic soda, vegetable
oils, and molasses. The TH 13 Corridor and the Ports of Savage is a high funding priority for SCALE. This
corridor is considered the highest transportation priority for SCALE and is considered a multi-modal corridor serving regional and global markets. The productivity of the ports will
be limited if TH 13 cannot efficiently serve them.
C. Heavy Commercial Vehicle Volumes
Existing heavy commercial annual average daily traffic (HCAADT) volumes are depicted in Figure 5.13. According to the 2018 update of the Scott County 2040 Comprehensive
Plan, the high-volume corridor within the City of Prior Lake is TH 13, while high-volume
regional corridors include US 169, TH 13 and I-35W. TH 13 within the City of Prior Lake is estimated to carry between 395 and 740 trucks per day.
D. Regional Freight Issues
Knowing where freight needs, and issues exist on significant highway corridors can inform policy and investment decision-making. The success of the County and the State’s economic engine relates to the ability of the multimodal freight system to convey goods
safely and efficiently.
Major freight issues in Scott County include bottlenecks or congestion, highway design
and characteristics, and rail crossings. As identified in the Metropolitan Council’s Regional
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Truck Highway Corridor Study in 2017, TH 13 from US 169 to I-35W, was identified as the second ranked congested freight corridor in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
The study also identified US 169, particularly at the intersections of TH 41 and TH 282 as locations on critical freight corridors experiencing significant congestion. The study also
contains references to traffic delays on US 169 over the Minnesota River on the
Bloomington Ferry Bridge. The Study highlighted the following freight issues in Scott County:
• Important corridors include US 169 and TH 13.
• High truck volume entry points on US 169 between CSAH 14 and CSAH 69 at unsignalized intersections or driveways present safety concerns.
• US 169 interchanges at CSAH 21 and CSAH 101 are geometrically problematic.
The way the highway is designed or operates can also be a freight movement issue. Since
2000 Scott County and MnDOT have invested in roundabouts as a traffic safety solution in the growing and developing rural and residential areas. These safety features are
perceived as difficult to maneuver by operators of heavy commercial vehicles.
Increased prevalence of roundabouts and driver training have combined to reduce some
concerns related to roundabouts. However, concerns with roundabouts remain for oversized vehicles such as those coming from Chart Industries in New Prague, and non-professional drivers transporting raw agricultural products through roundabouts.
Scott County will continue to consider the installation of roundabouts as a highway safety solution and will include the freight community as part of outreach efforts. Previous freight
studies in Minnesota have identified the lack of significant shoulders on rural roadways as a potential safety concern. The County will consider increased paved shoulder widths as part of pavement improvement projects and consider increased paved shoulder widths as
a proactive safety project.
Scott County features significant rail facilities and conflicts between trains and vehicles at
unprotected rail crossings are a concern. Unprotected railroad crossing are roadway crossings without both gates and lights. Many crossings in Scott County have stop signs
with additional signs advising drivers to look both ways before continuing travel. The Union
Pacific Railroad along the north side of State Trunk Highway 13 in the Ports of Savage area also provides an additional concern for freight. The limited vehicle stacking distance
ranges from 70 feet at Yosemite Ave to 110 feet at Dakota Avenue between the Union Pacific mainline track and TH 13. The congestion and the lack of gaps in traffic on TH 13 also encourages trucks to take additional risk such as to sit on tracks or proceed through
gates.
A 2012, MnDOT Rail Office summary identified a high number of gate arm replacements
occurred at Dakota Avenue and Lynn Avenue. In the three years leading up to March of 2010, 42 gates were replaced at Dakota Avenue and 13 gates were replaced at Lynn
Avenue. Based on the report, commercial vehicles entering the ports most commonly
crashed into the gates as they exit from TH 13, typically eastbound traffic making a left across the highway. It was also found that at Dakota Avenue a portion of the broken gates
were attributed to train switching operations taking place near the crossings with gates
dropping on the trailers as the truck moved across the grade crossing. The Union Pacific Railroad also conducted their own safety study of the crossings and has initiated an
ongoing active campaign to warn vehicles crossing the rail line to take precautions and
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not to be caught sitting on the tracks. Scott County will seek to improve and upgrade rail crossing safety when possible.
In understanding freight safety and capacity issues, it is important that commercial vehicle traffic from industrial, warehouse and commercial land uses be adequately considered.
Increased traffic can be sufficiently accommodated through the following measures:
• Locating freight-intensive land uses in areas that are proximal to the metropolitan
highway system and with ample access to minor arterials;
• Utilizing acceptable design standards on arterials, ensuring adequate turning radius,
pavement depth, and space for commercial vehicles; and
• Providing adequate signage and marking along roadways to minimize commercial
vehicle traffic through residential neighborhoods.
E. Future Considerations
The City of Prior Lake is continuing its development as a major hub of industrial centers,
business locations, and commercial districts. Much of development along freight corridors
within and adjacent to the City is driven by regional developments that are experiencing increased growth of commercial, industrial and warehouse businesses.
Transportation system improvements recommended by the City accommodate these continually changing land uses and facilitate increased demand for efficient freight
operations to serve these new and growing business developments. In recent years, e-commerce and day-of deliveries have also become increasingly more
important to the national economy and is reflected at a regional level throughout the greater Twin Cities area. The demands of customers to receive products within the shortest amount of time has, and will continue to, increase freight traffic on major and local
roadways. Given the proximity of Prior Lake to the Twin Cities, it is imperative that these trends be planned for to maintain traffic flows and avoid congestion along roadways in
Prior Lake.
More cost-effective strategies must be implemented to address regional mobility issues.
One strategy proposed for implementation is strategic capacity enhancements. Projects
in the form of new interchanges, non-priced managed lanes and limited general-purpose lanes may be needed to address corridor congestion and provide lane continuity for an
existing facility or to complete an unfinished segment of the Metropolitan Highway System.
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Figure 5.13. Existing Freight System
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5.6 Aviation System
There are no existing or proposed local system airports located in the City of Prior Lake
and there are no existing or proposed regional system airports located in Scott County. Commercial flights are directed to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP) Airport,
which is approximately 22 miles northeast of the City. Both the City of Prior Lake and Scott
County are outside the noise exposure zones and airport safety zones of MSP Airport.
Flying Cloud Airport is a reliever airport for the MSP International Airport. It is in Eden
Prairie, approximately 12 miles north of Prior Lake. The noise contours and safety zones at the Flying Cloud Airport do not extend into the City of Prior Lake or Scott County. Airlake
Airport is another reliever airport located in Lakeville and is approximately 14 miles southeast of Prior Lake. Airlake Airport has limited influence zones due to its small size, direction of runway, and low usage; as a result, it does not have a major impact on any
portion of the City of Prior Lake or Scott County. Belle Plaine Airport is in Sibley County, approximately 25 miles west of Prior Lake. This is a private airport open to the public with
one runway and is not part of the regional airport system and is primarily used for small
personal planes. Influence areas and noise exposure zones have not been identified for this airport.
Since all airports identified in this section have minimal impacts on the City of Prior Lake and the County, airport safety zones have not been established in the Scott County Zoning
Ordinance. Th County recognizes the need for airspace protection from potential
electronic interference and obstructions where regular flight patterns have been established. Any proposed structure over 200 feet shall require notification to the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) at least 30 days prior to construction, using FAA Form 7460-
1 "Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration,” as defined under code of federal regulations CFR - Part 77. In addition, MnDOT must also be notified of the proposed
development. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Community Zoning Board’s land use safety zoning ordinance should also be considered when reviewing construction within the City of Prior Lake that raises potential aviation conflicts.
A. Seaplane Usage
For purposes of safe use of surface waters and compatible land use, certain public waters within the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area have been designated by the
Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Aeronautics for permitted seaplane
use. Six lakes located in Scott County are designated as seaplane accessible including two lakes within the City of Prior Lake, which are Upper Prior Lake, Lower Prior Lake, and
one lake located on the southwest edge of the City of Prior Lake which is Spring Lake.
Seaplane bases are located on Lower Prior Lake and Spring Lake and are listed below:
• Lower Prior Lake: Jorgensen's Landing Seaplane Base (MY34)
• Spring Lake: Marty's Tranquility Base Seaplane Base (MN76) B. Private Airports
Five private airstrips are in Scott County, none of which are in the City of Prior Lake. New
private airstrips are limited to agricultural and low-density, rural residential areas. A conditional use permit is required for operation to ensure clear approach zones are
provided and flight operations will not present a hazard or nuisance to surrounding land
uses. Any private airfields/airstrips permitted in the County should meet minimum safety requirements as defined by MnDOT Aeronautics. Figure 5.14 identifies locations of the
existing private airstrips along with seaplane accessible lakes.
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Figure 5.14. Existing Aviation System
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5.7 Implementation Plan
A. Funding Strategies
Roadways under City jurisdiction are maintained, preserved, constructed, and
reconstructed by the City of Prior Lake Department of Public Works. Funding for these
activities, including the administrative costs of operating the Department, are obtained from a variety of sources, including ad valorem taxes, special assessments, development
fees, and tax increment financing. A major concern of the City is the availability of sufficient
funds for maintenance and construction activities. If funds are unavailable, needed projects may be delayed or terminated and maintenance of existing facilities may fall short
of acceptable standards. The following explains the existing sources of funding and potential new sources of revenue.
1. State Aid An important source of revenue to the City is State Aid. A network of City streets called
Municipal State-Aid Streets (MSAS) are eligible for funding assistance with revenue
from the State Highway User Tax Distribution Fund. This constitutionally protected funding allocation is comprised of gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees and is
allocated based on a formula that considers the population of a City and the financial
construction needs of its MSAS system.
2. Ad Valorem Taxes
For situations in which 20 percent of the cost of a City project can be assessed to the adjacent property owners, the remaining cost of the project can be added to the ad
valorem or property taxes of the remaining property owners in the City. Ad valorem
taxes for street improvements are excluded from the State-mandated levy limits.
3. Tax Increment Financing Establishing a tax increment financing (TIF) district is a method of funding infrastructure improvements that are needed immediately using the additional tax
revenue to be generated in future years by a specific development. Municipal bonds are issued against this future revenue, which is dedicated for a period of years to the
repayment of the bonds or to other improvements within the TIF project area. TIF
districts can accelerate economic development in an area by ensuring that the needed infrastructure is in place without requiring support from the usual funding.
4. Grant Funding There are many opportunities for metropolitan cities to take advantage of various grant
funding initiatives. Regional Solicitation and Highway Safety Improvement Program
(HSIP) are among grant solicitations for the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The City should monitor the grant funding opportunities available for applicable projects and
submit applications when possible.
B. Planning for the Future
Throughout the City of Prior Lake’s comprehensive planning effort, the City will consider how to address existing transportation needs, while setting the stage for future growth.
Items for consideration include the following:
• System Preservation
• Connected Vehicles and Autonomous Vehicles
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• Travel Demand Management
• Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School 1. System Preservation
Infrastructure systems such as roadways, bridges, culverts, and sidewalks have become expensive and challenging to maintain in today’s environment with aging
infrastructure, rising costs of materials, and stagnant or declining revenue. In fact,
many local agencies are being forced to pause, and ask questions about the costs and benefits of continuing to maintain assets throughout their entire system, or if other approaches should be explored to better balance needs with available resources.
Generally, approaches to be considered include:
a. Performance Standards and Measures
A performance-based approach improves the accountability of local infrastructure investments, assesses risks related to different performance levels, and monitors
progress and increases transparency.
b. Project Prioritization
Project prioritization can help the City rank infrastructure needs in a manner that is consistent with preservation goals and objectives. This technique can help avoid the typical “worst first” approach to programming preservation projects that tends
to invest limited resources in the most expensive improvements instead of directing maintenance funds to infrastructure that merely need rehabilitation, which will
provide more cost-effective solutions in a timely manner.
c. New Revenue Sources There are methods to capture new revenue streams to close the financial gap in
maintaining assets in a state of good repair. Exploring new revenue sources will allow the City to expand and accelerate preservation initiatives.
d. New Maintenance Techniques There are new maintenance techniques that can extend the lifecycle of an asset.
For example, new maintenance techniques for roadway surfaces can provide
longer service life and higher traffic volume thresholds, resulting in more stable road maintenance costs. Cost reduction of life cycle extension strategies which
save money, or extend surface life, can directly benefit preservation needs, and minimize any identified financial gap.
e. Asset Management Tracking assets and their condition will provide a stronger outlook on lifecycle costs
and replacement schedules. This will help establish funding plans and identified
future funding gaps or shortfalls.
2. Connected Vehicles and Autonomous Vehicles
Connected Vehicles (CVs) refers to vehicles that communicate with one another and with other elements of intelligent transportation infrastructure. Autonomous,
automated, or self-driving vehicles (AVs) describes a spectrum of vehicles that require
varying degrees of human control. Connected Automated Vehicles (CAVs) to refers to both technologies, which are automated vehicles connected to other vehicles and the
transportation system.
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There is a wide range of forecasted adoption scenarios for CV and AV technology. Analysts from the automotive industry tend to provide more conservative forecasts,
while analysts from the technology world tend to be less conservative, with some
forecasting heavy adoption by as early as 2030. Before widespread adoption occurs, there will be an extended period during which the developing CV and AV platform must
coexist with human-operated personal vehicles, as well as with public transit,
pedestrian users, and other modes. In Metropolitan Council’s 2040 TPP, it is noted that the implications of connected and automated vehicles need to be thoroughly
examined. As with many new transportation technologies, automated and connected
vehicles are likely to penetrate urban markets prior to expanding to the suburbs, especially if they are initially developed through a ride-hailing platform.
a. Highway Capacity Implications Many analysts predict that widespread adoption of connected and automated
vehicles will increase road capacity initially. Connected and automated vehicles are anticipated to require narrower lane widths than are needed for non- connected
and automated vehicles. Reduced vehicle headways are also anticipated. Each of
these factors would decrease congestion, however deployment of CVs and AVs will also lead to an increase in the number of zero- occupancy trips. Furthermore,
travelers will likely adjust their behavior in response to the new technology, which
could increase congestion and vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
b. Parking Implications
An increased share of autonomous vehicles could impact parking, both the amount needed and its location. With more AVs and fewer drivers, the location of parking
could shift to the periphery of activity centers. Correspondingly, Prior Lake could
see the need to expand parking in some areas and retrofit underutilized surface parking in others. Plans to significantly expand parking should be thoroughly
reviewed, as communities which have issued large bonds to meet current and projected parking demand could be challenged to recoup investment costs if demand decreases.
c. Impacts to Other Modes
In response to increased prominence of CV and AV technology, the role of regional
and local transit providers could be reduced or become more specialized. Pedestrian and bicycle activity could become more regulated, so as not to interfere
with automated systems on streets and sidewalks. As CV and AV technology is
deployed in the Twin Cities, Prior Lake and other communities will be faced with policy considerations as they look to promote equity for all transportation users and
continue to provide a balanced transportation system.
3. Electric Vehicles
In October 2017, General Motors announced plans to release 20 electric vehicle
models by 2023. This reflects a fundamental shift in the automobile industry vision of the future. While the first generation of electric vehicles remained expensive compared
to their conventional vehicle counterparts, automakers aim to bring to down the purchase price and increase profits by expanding electrical vehicle output. A growing fleet of electric vehicles would have implications for planning at all levels of
government. For example, electric vehicles will require charging stations, which should be considered at public and private facilities in Prior Lake’s land use planning and
zoning ordinance. The placement of these charging stations should complement
existing infrastructure, encourage equitable resource development, and enhance
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intermodal connections. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles would require significant changes to highway funding programs. Most highway revenue is generated
through fuel taxes.
Widespread adoption of electric vehicles would necessitate changes to State and local
revenue sources. Unlike other technologies discussed in this section, the proliferation
of electric vehicles is not expected to be geographically dependent. Demand for electric vehicles in Prior Lake is expected to be similar as in other urban areas.
4. Travel Demand Management Research has shown that Travel Demand Management strategies are a useful
technique in helping alleviate parking demands in a geographical area. TDM strategies are applied to help reduce the number of single occupancy vehicles traveling and parking in a certain area. Opportunities to encourage TDM strategies are highlighted
throughout this section.
a. Bicycle Amenities
Actively promoting bicycling as an alternative means of travel to and from a destination can be achieved through information dissemination and the provision
of bicycle storage facilities and adding on-street bicycle lanes and additional
connections to trails. These actions can help decrease the demand for vehicle parking.
b. Car Sharing Provisions Car sharing programs provide mobility options to a cross section of residents who
would not otherwise have access to a vehicle. These programs encourage the
efficient use of a single vehicle among multiple users, while reducing the amount of parking needed to accommodate each resident within a neighborhood. Zoning
language can encourage or require new developments of a certain size to include off-street parking provisions for car sharing programs.
c. Shared Mobility Shared mobility includes bike sharing, carsharing, and ride sourcing services
provided by companies such as Uber and Lyft. Predictions indicate that by creating
a robust network of mobility options, these new modes will help reduces car ownership and increase use of public transit, which will continue to function as the
backbone of an integrated, multimodal transportation system.
d. Travel Demand Management Plans (TDMP)
A TDMP outline measures to mitigate parking demand as part of the development
permit process, which can result in innovative solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of a neighborhood or district. These types of plans may require
specific strategies for reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips and promoting
alternative modes of transportation.
5. Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School Complete Streets are commonly defined as roadways that accommodate all users such as pedestrians, bicyclist, vehicles and transit, regardless of age and ability. This
is important to consider when recognizing the diversity of people traveling throughout the community.
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The Transportation Plan’s goals and policies embrace several elements of complete streets, such as safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. MnDOT has adopted a Complete
Streets Policy, last updated in May 2016, and has committed to assessing
opportunities for incorporating complete street design principles in all MnDOT projects. MnDOT’s Complete Streets Policy can serve as a resource to the City for incorporating
complete street design standards into City projects.
Safe Routes to School is a national initiative to increase safety and promote walking
and bicycling for America’s youth. The Safe Routes to school program will assist in
providing infrastructure and non-infrastructure grants to build trails, paths, and safe connections to local schools.
Planning for safe routes to schools will require specific attention to certain elements such as bike routes, complete street treatments, sidewalk networks, pedestrian/bicycle
amenities and wayfinding signage. Combined, these elements can create Safe Routes to Schools or Complete Streets.
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Appendix A. Socioeconomic Data Allocation to Traffic Analysis Zones
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Appendix B. City of Prior Lake Capital Improvement Program (2019–2028)