This is the uh work session for the city of Minatrista of April 20th, 2026. I'll start out by u making some introductions here. Um on the end we have our chief of police, Craig Squireers. And then next to him we have David Ael who is our community development director. Jasper Krugal is our city administrator. I'm Lisa Whan. I'm the mayor. To my left are council members Kathleen Refkin. Brian Govern. And then on the end we have our city um engineer Allison Fowski. And then we also have uh Paula uh Bowman who is um our assistant administr administrator. We may have a few other people um joining uh staff members joining us via uh Zoom or live stream. I'm not sure what you call it. >> What's team Teams? >> Teams. Okay. It's teams now. All right. So we have um Ann Meerhoff and who else? >> That's it. That's it. All right. With that, uh we have uh two items on our work session uh agenda. So, we're going to start out with our discussion and the presentation from Mandot regarding Highway 7. So, I want to welcome Kyle and Matt. Thank you for coming. Uh you can come to the podium and uh we're just we might you're going to do a presentation. We have questions, I'm sure, for you. And really, thank you for coming. I know this is an extra meeting for you and we really appreciate you taking time out especially um after normal work hours. So, thank you for coming. >> Yeah, very happy to be here. Thank you for having us. >> There we go. Yeah. Uh good afternoon. Yeah, thank you for having us. Happy to come here talk about Highway 7 and our upcoming project here in 2029. Um so we'll touch on a few things. will, you know, say, you know, give an update on where we're at right now and then I'm not sure how familiar everyone is with with the um study recommendations. So, I figured I'd do a quick overview of that for everyone and then we dive into what's go what's actually in the scope for the 2029 project and then talk about, you know, what's upcoming and then any time for questions. Um, so study wrapped up earlier this year. So, this kind of shows the whole um schedule of what the study was at. So we we fit um but the study wrapped up in about in February earlier this year. Um it's looked at three main needs of the vehicle safety, mobility and then walkability and bike ability. And in those needs we also looked at the crash history um current and future operations for the highway and the intersections and then looked at different um options for uh pedestrians with bike and and trail opportunities. Um we also looked into pavement conditions and reviewed those as well as any potential environmental impacts. So moving on to the study recommendations. So high level the study for segment one was roundabouts at key intersections um a concrete barrier between the intersections for um and then also a multi-use trail along the along the corridor. Um so I want to stop real quick here and talk touch a little bit on the barrier. Um the there's high need for cr there's high crashes for crossovers with which would lead to head-on as well as like right angle crashes which are the most dangerous. The concrete barrier is a safety option for the for those needs and that's why the study decided to keep the barrier in this in the recommendation. However, there the barrier is currently not funded and not in the 2029 project right now. So, I wanted to kind of touch off I know that's been a hot topic and I wanted to let you guys know kind of where that's at right now. Um, at the So, overall with the study re improvements we've got, um, I'll kind of breeze through these. So, the recommendations were a 3/4 intersection at Wildwood Avenue, um a roundabout at Cass 92, uh 3/4 intersection at Highland Road, and then an expansion of the roundabout at Kingspoint Road, making it more of a multi-lane instead of the single lane that's um as traffic as as needed. Um and then roundabouts at County Road 44, 13 Minowa Parkway, um a 3/4 intersection at Eureka, and then a roundabout at 41. So the segment two, it uh looked more that so was a multi looked more at the multi-lane roundabouts at key intersections on the west side of the segment. Um and then as you moved further to the east, it looked more at grade grade SE separations as well as interchanges. Um and then we looked at more improved modal or multimodal connections with trails. Um looking at segment two, um you can see on the west side we've got the uh the m the roundabouts at Highway 41, Oak Street, and then at Christmas Lake Road. And then from there to the east, it moves more towards that um grade separation um with the one at grade separated at Vine Hill. um an interchange at Cassaw 101 was a grade separation at Tonka Wood and then interchanges at at Williston when you get to 494 >> and obviously Kyle we're more interested in the segment you know at in miniatur but could you just really quickly uh give us um the definition of grade separation versus interchange we know what roundabout means but um so just Um, it might be kind of good to know. >> No, absolutely. Uh, great great separation is when the highway goes either above or below the the intersecting road and there are no ramps. An interchange would be where there's ramps connecting them together. >> Okay. >> And then here they are side by side. As you can see with the the black vertical lines, that is kind of our 2029 project. So it does it covers all of segment one and then the western half western portion of segment two. Um so now in uh going into the scope for the 2029 project um just like I just showed here um so a little cleaner version um we've currently we're scoped at uh with a budget of 48.6 million and that covers um all segment one and then the the western portion of segment 2 um in the 2029 project. So this is a safety and pavement preservation project. So the pavement preservation would be a mill and overlay through the whole project limits. Um constructions of roundabouts at Cassan 92 13 and Minashta Parkway. Um the project will also construct the 3/4 intersection at Eureka and then we'll also have some trail connections um from Kasaw 13 to Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail. Um for the segment two portion um we we will be doing uh the scope has signal replacements at uh highway 41 and Christmas Lake Road and not the roundabouts. >> Can you just go back to segment one for a sec? So Wildwood is going to be left alone and then the current King's Point roundabout will that be left how it is with just the single lane roundabout? >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Um, so so we have the signal replacements at 41 and Lake Road and then we're going to do some access modifications between 41 and Oak Street. And then we have the Mil Street bridge being replaced. We've got some additional items that we wanted to mention that um aren't as large as the the roundabouts and and the intersections, but um there's Maplewood Road and St. Bonafacious where we've got constructing left turn lanes there. Um at Highland Road we'll be installing intersection lighting. At Oakland Street we're going to construct a left turn lane. Um Oak Road um kind of comes in at a weird angle. So we're going to straight make that more of a a right angle and then convert the bypass lane into a dedicated left turn lane. And that Oak Street, the one that that's pictured there, um the part that's right, we're going to remove the channelized right-hand turn and make it more of a square that up to make it more >> and that's at Oak. >> Yes, that's at Oak. >> Okay. Um go back to Highland. Uh you're talking about um a stoplight or >> uh just just lighting. >> Okay. So >> So it'll still be right in, right out? I mean, you can go right in, you can go left out. I mean, it's all all directions. >> Okay. We're just um adding lighting there to to for better visibility. >> Okay. And then um and then you're thinking about doing a roundabout at 92. Why are you going to change that? Because at 92 there's there's already turn lanes and a light. Why would you change that? So the um it was so it was recommended in the the study recommended there being a roundabout there mainly for I want to say um the it's it's safer because it does slow down traffic with the light instead of a light there and then also just moving traffic through it >> moving traffic through it. So the other question I have is Wildwood is there because that's where we have more accidents, if you will. And then um also with Hunter's Crest coming out. So Hunter's Crest comes out on the south side of seven and then Wildwood comes out on the north side a little bit lower. Is there any way you can shift Wildwood up and put a roundabout there? That would make more sense and that would be safer for everyone. >> I think it's something that could be looked at. I don't know if it's some we it's not something we have funding for currently in the 29 project. >> Can we do that instead of the roundabout at 92? >> I that I don't know. We might I might have to let Matt weigh in on that, but um I don't >> I'm just looking at safety. I know you also look at traffic mobility and and keeping things flowing. So, I get that part, too, but we look at at we look more at safety. And it seems to me that that might be a better place to put your money right now if you're limited. But um just to think about it because I know that there's more uh development going in to on the north side of seven right in that area. I don't know if you're familiar with that. >> I am. Yeah, I saw I saw the development report. >> Okay. Yeah. So, you know, maybe that development could come out there as well and there could be a roundabout versus all these other intersections with right in, right out, left in, you know, all those things. It just might make more sense. I'm throwing that out for thought. >> No. Yeah, it's it's uh it's something we can we can take back and look at. >> Okay. >> It's not something I can give you a definitive answer on tonight, unfortunately. >> Yeah. >> But it is something we can go and and you know, and take a look at. >> Yep. And that's one of the challenges. There's a lot of competing needs up in this area and >> trying to pick out as many as we can. As Kyle mentioned in the study, there's a number of intersections showing improvements on one corridor, right? >> So, it's just trying to make that incremental promotion on doing as many as we can as possible with the funding is available. If additional funding becomes available, evaluating what retail time. >> So, and that's that was going to be one of my questions. Um, so you know, I know you're looking for another 11 million >> and so what what would you do with that 11 million then if you got it? >> So I believe the the TMO is asking for the 114 specifically at they're they're going looking for Christmas Lake Road. Um, I want to say it was 41 and then um I thought it was Wildwood or Island, one of the two. I can't remember off the top of my head. Yeah, it was it was Wildwood and that was for that three quarter. >> The three quarter. Yes. Yep. >> Which we don't like anymore. >> Which Yeah. So, >> yeah, maybe there would be some negotiating possibility of moving Wildwood and Hunter's uh trail to intersect. So, you could have one roundabout for for them. That might be something worth looking at. Um and I do understand 41 and and the other ones in Shwood. So, um, again, we want to make sure that we spread it out. I get that. Um, how much typically does a roundabout cost? Around four or five million, >> see, probably >> a single lane. Okay. Mhm. >> Well, we don't like multilane. >> No, residents are really mad at them. >> We've had >> We've had experience with multilane. I don't know if you know that or not, but and um it they ended up changing it to a single lane. >> King's point there. Y >> they did the same thing on 12 and uh at 92 and 90. >> Yeah, >> they went from multi-lane to to single lane. >> It only works in certain situations because people just don't get it. And then also on seven when it was a dual lane, the um merge the lane merging back in was really short. So, you didn't have enough time to merge back into a single lane, which really caused a lot of confusion. So, keep that in mind. Um, >> let's educate people on single lanes first and then maybe you can then expand to double halls. Um, because it is an educational um piece. So, all right, go ahead. >> Okay, I've only got a couple more slides here. >> All right. >> So, moving on to the next steps here for us. Uh so as I mentioned earlier, the the final study was completed in February. So that's up online for anyone to go look at. Um so preliminary design um starts this spring and will run through next spring summer. Um we are also um we've also brought on a consultant to help us with some additional engagement to help us through that process and help us inform the public of what's coming and um just kind of really kind of be really good with engagement and and letting the public know about the project. Um and then pretty much I think we any changes to the project. So if we were to get additional funding and get more and to be able to incorporate more um that would probably need needed by end of this end of the summer fall time frame. So then we could be able to incorporate that through the ne through the next stage of our schedule. And then depending on how what is added that could affect our schedule for delivery as well. So, um, you're saying, excuse me, you're not going to do this project until 29, and you're saying you need all the funding, quotes, and three years in advance. I mean, >> we have to have all that identified two years before the project. >> Oh, wow. Okay. Okay, that means that's when the contractor selected that starts. So you back that out to give our designers time to develop everything for what those needs are. We need to have that in advance of all that time to be vetted and identified. >> Okay. And that's because it's a mindot versus a county project or city project. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> And >> Okay. And we are having a lot of rightaway processes throughout our whole district as well. So with a limited staff, it just, you know, you need more time. >> Okay. >> So is the plan for this project just to route everyone over to five then? >> Yeah, that's >> Oh my gosh. Okay. >> Yeah, we haven't we haven't we're still too early in this in the design in the in the project ph. I want to say design phase because we probably we're not super far in that but in the project to really no traffic control at this point take a look at where origin destinations what can be done under traffic and then balancing out their construction staff on if you close an intersection down you can do a lot faster for construction versus trying to do it at half time. So balancing all those needs, seeing what the whole thing is and then what that means for traffic is going to go for >> Well, again, so when you do this project, you might might not know this right now, but and you're going to be starting on the western edge of Minatrista going all the way to um through Shorewood. So the question is, do you do all of the intersections one at a time? Are they I mean I don't know how this works because if you did them one at a time the traffic flow is going to be different than if you did them all together or kind of simultaneously. >> Yeah, there's there's different ways we can look at it. You can look at it into you can break it up into different stages. So you can construct X number of miles and everything in between at one point and then you move on to the next and then you could there's you can do multiple intersections. It's something that we just need to look at with our traffic control group and figure out the best the best path that we can minimize impacts to traveling public. >> Balancing balancing the time infrastructure, balancing some methods might take more money because we might say quicker, but you're going to have to put under more pressure with traffic, right? >> And then balancing impact. >> So conversations such as this understand to bring that into equation. being able to make everybody perfectly happy. Want to take that into consideration. >> Yeah. The the challenges we have out here of course is that like to go from highway 7 all the way down to five or do any detours is very difficult just because there's so many lakes and you know as you know wetlands and everything and so the roads we don't have one road one road one you know they're not stacked on top of each other. They're a long ways away. So you >> got 12 or seven? >> Yeah. >> Five. >> 12 or five. Yeah. So I know that's a challenge. I mean huge challenge. So okay. >> You mentioned uh inter modal uh trail improvements. Would that is that managed by the would those be run by the DOT or would that be turned over to the park district? >> It's a good question because it would be on our rightway. Um >> depends on the situation. some situations allocated situations with where basically somebody else's to take care of and just get right group to see what was originally anticipated >> is the anticipation that it would be physically separated from the road. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Run parallel to it. Yes. Oh, >> you have to have it separated though because of the speed of seven and the ADT. So, yeah. Mhm. >> Yeah, that would be great. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Really good. Especially west of of Kings Point Road would be great to have something even connecting Kings Point to St. Bonnie or something like that would be great. I don't know what your Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Which will take a while. I know. >> Okay. Um All right. >> Yeah. No, >> sorry to interrupt, but >> leads me to my thank you and >> All right. Um, I can't think of any other ones. Any >> Well, of all the questions on that or I was wondering if I could just ask a quick seven related question. Uh, do you guys know where I could direct a request to get 7 west of 41 transferred to a different road district? Right now when it snows uh west of 41 sometime where it come where 7 goes through Minatrista >> a lot of times it's 24 to 48 hours after the area east of 41 is cleared and salted before it's treated out this way and I believe it's because it's in a different road district. Um >> yeah our maintenance districts our m maintenance district boundaries don't always match up with our district boundaries. It's the same thing with 12 where um district 3 actually maintains like all I think almost all the way to Maple Plane um and and the our metro district goes all all the way to Delano the county line. So yeah um I can I can be that person for you and I can try and just see what you know ask the question. >> Okay, that'd be appreciated. >> Yeah, because it's been the last two or three snows it's been solid ice for over 24 hours. Um, and you think it was 44 or 41? >> Uh, west of 41. >> West of 41. Okay. >> Yeah. When it I think when seven moves into Carver County is where it uh >> Oh, okay. It's real sketchy. >> Where the change is. >> Okay. Yeah, I can. It It might be Yeah, it might be different truck station. It might be the different district. I would have to go look and see what could be causing it. >> Awesome. Appreciate it. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, you need more money >> basically. So again, um our our biggest concern is what um access and I think um our residents, we've heard from many of them regarding the um um raised median. So that's good to know that that's not in the plan. Um and then the other thing of course is um we would be concerned about write out only um from some of our neighborhoods. It would create a huge it would actually add more traffic to Highway 7, you know. So, those are things to keep in mind. We need and then also because especially uh west of Kingspoint Road, uh we're going to see more development and uh we're there's going to be more traffic and we're going to need more safe um access to that and that's why we're we really like to see more roundabouts eventually and I'm sure you'll be looking at that. But the question would be if you're going to be doing this and now in 29 and then of course you're going to do more um in future years would uh east of here when would you be able to come back and make additional safety improvements or roundabout improvements? What when would that happen then? >> That is a very good question. Um it does help that it would be like intersection driven and not pavement driven because once we come through for the mill and overlay the the main line should be good for 20 years >> 20 years, right? >> So um I don't have a great answer for you on when we're when we would be coming back. It kind of would I think it would really be driven by um the safety of the intersections and what we're looking at. Okay. >> If we're seeing a big need, then I think that's when we would be looking at um a project. All right. All right. Well, at staff, any questions? >> The only one that I really have is, you know, 44 is is a concern. Um, and Marywood, those two kind of are linked together. I think Mrywood is supposed to be maybe a right in right out at some point in time, but that's really contingent on something happening at 44 because that really would add a lot of commute time. um to Lisa's point like when does what would trigger that to happen like an improvement on 44 you know outside of the scope of the you know pavement improvement project >> again I think it would have to be um operational and and safety driven so if we're if we're seeing that it need that a roundabout there would help the operations of the intersection and you know that maybe maybe it's it's part of something you know bigger like haven't you know if there were to be a a median barrier to go in and re um restrict access somewhere else. We need to make sure we don't have to send them two miles down the road to turn around. So, it could be partnered with something like that, but um it would it would be more I think more driven by the safety and operational standpoint. >> And I have a what one last question. What what can we do as a city to maybe help facilitate some of those safety improvements that we think are important? I don't know which we haven't really prioritized them, but you know, what can we do um to help get that message to MDOT and maybe get future funding and things like that? >> So, I think the the TMO would help a lot um with their with with the group that they've already formed and then I think potentially even when if they were to join the the the Southwest coalition there. Um otherwise just you know advocating to Mindot representatives as well like myself and maybe um my boss and and others. So >> who's your boss? >> Uh Ryan Wilson. >> Okay manager. >> Okay. >> One last thing. Yeah. Sorry. >> Does it make sense to work with our legislators on stuff like this? Like uh >> it could. Yeah. Um they I hear from I we get we get go back and forth with legislators quite quite often. So, um it could be something from to that's and then also like kind of similar with the Temo going for bonding bills. That's another way to advocate as well. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Yeah. I was in St. Paul. We were in St. Paul last week, the week before anyhow in front of the um House Capital Investment Committee requesting 11 million for for your project. So, we don't know. There were a lot of requests. a lot of requests. >> Brilliant. >> Yeah. So, all right. Um, that's it then. Again, thank you for coming. We really appreciate it and hopefully we'll have more discussions. So, for us, thanks for coming. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, um, >> yeah, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Cheers. >> Another one, a really fun one is a Canada goose removal. Come on, David. >> Yeah. Thank you, uh, Madame Mayor and Council. We do have a request, um, from one of our residents has reached out to the city. Um, and through that process, we learned that the DNR has change their permitting process to allow for specifically Canadian goose uh, goose management or goose removal. Um, they no longer need a wildlife management plan. And it's it's as simple as us issuing a letter uh to the DNR stating that um we authorized the homeowner to go ahead and get a permit through the DNR to to do goose management. And so uh before staff just started writing letters like that, we wanted to make sure council was okay with us doing so. And that's the purpose of uh bringing this to you tonight. Um if you're okay with that, we'll go ahead and get a letter out to the homeowner and to the DNR. We did talk to the DNR and confirm that is their new process. Um, and that's that's all it takes is a simple letter from the city that saying that they can proceed with the permit. Um, the the homeowner would get the permit. It's all on them. They'd bear the cost of the permit and all that goes along with that. So, it's as simple as a letter from the city to that says we're okay with doing so. So, if you're you're okay with that, we'll we'll do that. If not, we won't. So, >> but what else what other option would there be? Well, yeah. They they wouldn't um I mean they wouldn't be able to get a permit. >> Oh, okay. You wouldn't >> And this is just for Canada geese, right? And it's probably mostly obviously people that live on water on the lake or whatever. >> Right. Yeah. Right now, we only have the a one one, one request uh in for it. I don't know. The DNR's doesn't know where this is going to go. If more people are going to now try to get it or or not. I just feel catch them. And then what do they do with them? Eat them. No, just like non-legal. >> That's Canada. >> I mean, >> okay. I don't know >> what happens with this. I don't care. I'm fine with it. Do what? But like, what happens to them? >> Well, General Mills, they had a guy that had a dog that would run around to the pond and then the guy had a toy, a remote control boat and basically just harass the geese until they would leave. Seriously, >> that's awesome. >> Oh, I want that. >> I think it depends. I mean the nesting if they might kick the eggs and you know those sorts of things and um it depends on when they're doing it and how they're doing it but um >> they're not relocating them. Yeah, I I've heard of people taking the eggs. Yeah. So that then, you know, if they have one pair, it's not so bad, but if they have one pair and they have 10 glings and now, you know, it's like, okay. And then does the DNR have like a a standard letter that you can just copy? I mean, >> they don't. It's so new. We tried to get something from them and they don't. So, we're just going to put something together and send it and see if it's good enough. But, we've we've tried we've reached out to other communities that we suspected might have done this and >> um they haven't yet. So, we don't have a form. We'll just uh come up with something and send it off. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> I think that's good. >> Yeah, sounds good. >> We don't need to make any of those decisions. Let the DNR do it. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Anything else then? Otherwise, um it's 6:30 and we can uh be adjourned for >> 5:30. >> 5:30. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I know. See, it used to be 6:30. Okay. After so many years of 6:30. Can't teach an old dog new tricks. So, anyhow, um we can then be adjourned. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So, moved. >> Thank you, Kathleen. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Brian. All those in favor signify with I. I. All those opposed. Motion passes 300. And we are adjourned until 6:00. 6:30, I think. 6:30. So, we have an hour. Wow. Okay. Go out and enjoy the sun.