Title
Requesting a variance from Minnesota Department of Transportation Municipal State Aid Rules to implement 10 foot wide travel lanes during the reconstruction of Wabasha Street from W 7th Street to 11th Street, 10th Street from Wabasha Street to Saint Peter Street, and Saint Peter Street from 10th Street to 11th Street, which includes an indemnification guarantee (State Aid Operation for Project No. S.P. 164-235-026 and SP 164-236-010).
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works plans to reconstruct Wabasha Street (MSAS 235) from W 7th Street to 11th Street, 10th Street (MSAS 204) from Saint Peter Street to Wabasha Street, and Saint Peter Street (MSAS 236) from 10th Street to 11th Street as a part of the Wabasha Street Capital City Bikeway (CCB) Extension to the Capitol project; and
WHEREAS, the project goals are to connect downtown bikeway users to the Capitol, improve pavement quality, bring the street into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, support downtown vibrancy with trees, and enhance access to and visibility for street-level businesses; and
WHEREAS, Wabasha Street is classified as a minor arterial street with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour and an average daily traffic volume of 9,400 vehicles per day between W 7th Street and 11th Street; and
WHEREAS, 10th Street is classified as a minor arterial street with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour and an average daily traffic volume of approximately 5,000 vehicles per day between Wabasha Street and Saint Peter Street; and
WHEREAS, Saint Peter Street is classified as a minor arterial street with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour and an average daily traffic volume of approximately 2,500 vehicles per day between 10th Street and 11th Street; and
WHEREAS, Wabasha Street, Saint Peter Street, and 10th Street are all a part of the State Aid Network for which the City of Saint Paul receives formula funding for the maintenance and operation of these streets; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Rule for State Aid Operation 8820.9936 (Minimum Design Standards, Urban; New or Reconstruction Projects) provides dimensional standards for urban reconstructed roadways; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Rule for State Aid Operation 8820.9936 clearly states that eleven foot (11’) travel lanes are required and that ten foot (10’) lanes may be considered; and
WHEREAS, Wabasha Street N, 10th Street, and Saint Peter Street, are all proposed to be two-lane roadways with ten foot (10’) lanes, a separated bicycle facility, and sidewalks; and
WHEREAS, ten foot (10’) lanes would provide consistency with previously constructed segments of Wabasha Steet N; and
WHEREAS, the ten foot (10’) lanes may help support the desired lower vehicle speeds in a downtown multi-modal environment; and
WHEREAS, ten foot (10’) lanes would provide needed space for street parking, snow storage, street lighting, and signs, boulevards wide enough to support street trees and a healthy tree canopy, and separate sidewalks in a critical downtown corridor; and
WHEREAS, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) highlights the safety benefits of narrower travel lanes on lower-speed urban streets, such as a reduction in pedestrian crossing distance, and
WHEREAS, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) has found no statistically significant relationship between lane width and crash rate on arterial streets; and
WHEREAS, MnDOT requires an indemnification guarantee; and
WHEREAS, constructing Wabasha Street from W 7th Street to 11th Street, 10th Street from Saint Peter Street to Wabasha Street, and Saint Peter Street from 10th Street to 11th Street as ten-foot (10’) lanes would require a variance from Municipal State Aid Rules subject to the approval of the Minnesota Department of Transportation; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that we do hereby authorize the Department of Public Works to request a variance for ten foot (10’) lanes on MSAS 235 (Wabasha Street) between 7th Street and 11th Street, MSAS 204 (10th Street) between Wabasha Street and Saint Peter Street, and MSAS 236 (Saint Peter Street) from 10th Street to 11th Street in lieu of the required eleven foot (11’) lanes; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Department of Public Works will not initiate these changes until after it has received variance approval for the lane width reduction from the Minnesota Department of Transportation; and be it finally
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby indemnifies, saves and holds harmless the State of Minnesota and its agents and employees of and from claims, demands, actions, or causes of action arising out of or by reason of the granting of the variance. The city further agrees to defend at its sole cost and expense any action or proceeding commenced for the purpose of asserting any claim arising as a result of the granting this variance.