Exhibit A - Scope of Work. Minnesota Trunk Highway (TH) 65 Access Planning and Environmental Corridor Study

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1 Minnesota Trunk Highway (TH) 65 Access Planning and Environmental Corridor Study PEL = Planning and Environmental Linkages Although not a Statutory PEL, this corridor planning study is intended to incorporate PEL principles and be consistent with the PEL approach to transportation planning and decision-making. Project Background TH 65 in Spring Lake Park, Blaine, and Ham Lake is a 4-lane divided principal arterial with approximately 40,000-60,000 vehicles per day in an area that is primarily residential/retail. Previous studies in the area have identified safety and operational deficiencies along TH 65 and proposals have been made to convert TH 65 to a controlled-access freeway system. The February 2017 Principal Arterial Intersection Conversion Study showed all six at-grade intersections as high needs within the proposed study area. With the realization that funding for a full freeway conversion would be prohibitively expensive, it is necessary to revise the corridor vision by exploring safety and mobility improvements that consider low-cost, high-impact improvements. Improvements will need to work well together as a whole and be prioritized based on overall need. The goals of this study are to identify alternatives to address the problems and needs along TH 65 from approximately County State Aide Highway (CSAH) 116 (Bunker Lake Boulevard) to CSAH 10. This includes an analysis of potential west frontage road alignments between 99 th Ave NE and 109 th Ave NE. The study will use public involvement to help determine purpose and need, develop objective evaluation criteria, and broadly define and vet alternatives. The study will use a performance-based practical design (PBPD) concept to focus on a system-wide approach that will optimize value, performance, and financial sustainability. Concepts should take into account the current condition of assets, maximize the remaining service life of assets, and inform upcoming projects on the corridor. The alternatives developed will be capable of accommodating the mobility and safety needs of all users along and across TH 65 and consider the additional growth occurring along the corridor. Approximate study limits will be: North Limit: 800 north of Anoka CSAH 116 (Bunker Lake Boulevard) in Ham Lake South Limit: 800 south of Anoka CSAH 10 in Spring Lake Park 1 Administration and Project Management 1.1 Administration - Administration of the project will include: Monthly written progress reports (showing progress for the month and the progress to date for each task) A project log that documents decisions and discussions of issues affecting the plan Invoicing Cost and percent completion All other work to ensure the project tasks are completed on time and within budget. 1.2 Team Supervision and Coordination - Provide daily instruction and supervision of work performed by Contractor personnel and any subcontractors. This includes ongoing team meetings and coordination throughout the study. 1.3 Correspondence - Perform direct contacts with State functional units, County, Cities, Metropolitan Council, and other agencies as needed to collect data and information required for deliverables. Contractor will include State s Project Manager and Anoka County s contact person for this project on correspondence to other agencies that relates to this study. 1.4 Quality Management - Contractor will implement its Quality Management Plan (QMP) that will be used on the project as identified in the proposal. The QMP specifies how Contractor will perform Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) activities throughout the duration of the project to ensure delivery of a quality product in a timely manner that conforms to established contract requirements. 1.5 State Coordination Meetings Contractor will meet monthly (up to eighteen times) with State s Project Manager at Waters Edge to discuss the project progress. These meetings could include other study partners such as FHWA, Anoka County, Cities, and Metropolitan Council. Contractor will be responsible for scheduling the meetings and providing agendas and meeting minutes. 1.6 Project Schedule Contractor will prepare and maintain a project schedule. The project is anticipated to begin in early June 2018 and conclude by December 31, Stakeholder and Public Involvement 2.1 Public Involvement Contractor will develop Stakeholder and Public Involvement that focuses on addressing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)-required public 1

2 involvement. Contractor will produce documents and deliverables in a form that can be incorporated by reference, as appropriate, in subsequent documents as outlined in Appendix A to 23 CFR Part Initial Outreach and Engagement Contractor will begin an initial outreach and engagement process to better understand the history of the corridor and how the corridor effects the various stakeholders of the corridor. This information will be used to help develop the purpose and need for the project. 2.3 Identify, Describe, and Baseline Key Stakeholder and Consumer Groups Contractor will identify and profile distinct groups of users (commercial, commuters, etc.) of TH 65 and community members impacted by the presence of the state highway in their community. Contractor s analysis will identify affected communities/public (internal and external), including: federal, state, regional, county and city agencies; district councils, neighborhood groups, business associations, advocacy groups, property owners/tenants and other various stakeholders along TH 65. Contractor will conduct consumer and stakeholder analyses, determining the influence and interests of the various groups. Contractor will be expected to use data available through the State and other sources to describe groups based on demographics, geography, travel mode, business type, and other relevant categories. Data should also be gathered and used to create psychographic information that articulates a combination of descriptive and emotional traits such as people s beliefs, values, attitudes, and desires. Contractor will apply a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to collect and analyze the interrelationships between people and groups playing a role in community dynamics. Using this combination of demographic (age, ethnicity, income, etc.) and psychographic knowledge, the engagement plan will reveal and then leverage: o Differences and similarities between groups o Patterns of expectations, preferences, and concerns o Usage of the corridor o Relationship to the corridor o Preferred methods of communication and engagement Aligned with the segmentation, a quantitative baseline of project awareness, interest, and perceptions of the corridor will be conducted by Contractor. This information will be used to track the project s progress and impact over time. Contractor will recommend, which segments to baseline, methods of cost effective data collection, and intervals of future measures. Contractor will prepare and deliver a stakeholder briefing, in addition to a report for the State s Project Manager. Known stakeholders include, but are not limited to: State State s Project Manager State Functional Groups FHWA Cities of Blaine, Ham Lake, and Spring Lake Park Metro Transit Metropolitan Council TH 65 North Corridor Coalition Anoka County Neighborhood Groups National Sports Center Metropolitan Airports Commission Other Governmental Agencies Private and Public Utilities 2.4 Perform Situational Analysis - Contractor will create community profiles that describe each neighborhood/area in the project area s relationship with TH 65 based on local history, demographics, land use, and other relevant characteristics. Profiles should draw from a combination of primary and secondary sources. Contractor will identify and summarize existing documentation regarding community projects and goals that could be impacted by future changes to TH 65. Contractor will conduct preliminary analysis such as SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), PEST (political, economic, social, technological) and issue/conflict 2

3 matrix for audiences to summarize and detail critical factors/issues that must be considered during community engagement activities. Contractor will prepare and deliver a situational awareness briefing, in addition to a report for the State Project Manager. 2.5 Draft Outreach and Engagement Strategies Report - With input from the Project Management Team (PMT), Contractor will establish measurable communications and engagement goals for the project, with a focus on the initial engagement to help define the project purpose and need. These measures should not be limited to participation counts; it should also include measures of progress and impact. Contractor will recommend strategies and activities to attract, recruit, and retain the active involvement of individuals and community members who are currently not engaged or are underrepresented in planning processes and address legacy of separation and disconnection. Recommendations should include an analysis of group-specific barriers to participation in engagement activities with specific, field tested solutions. Contractor will identify potential community partners who can play a role in reaching stakeholder groups identified in the stakeholder analysis. Contractor will provide recommendations for engaging community resources in communicating the history and interests of people and places near the project. Contractor will recommend a set of communication channels that the State s project team should use, to effectively and economically reach segmented consumer and stakeholder groups with project updates, opportunities for input, and relevant project information. Contractor will prepare and deliver an outreach and engagement strategy briefing, in addition to a report for the PMT. The information will be presented at a PMT meeting. 2.6 Initial Outreach and Engagement - Using the Draft Outreach and Engagement Strategy Report, Contractor will plan, facilitate, and execute outreach and engagement activities to gather the information necessary to complete the initial outreach and engagement task. As the actual engagement activities won t be known until the Draft Outreach and Engagement Strategy Report is completed, the following assumptions are provided for estimating. Assumptions: Two open house style meetings Five presentations to neighborhood groups Two pop up events Twelve small group meetings with stakeholder groups At the conclusion of the initial outreach and engagement activities, the feedback, observations, and comments will be compiled into a report describing the stakeholder s feelings about the existing corridor by Contractor. The information gathered should be used to help inform the purpose and need for the project. The conclusion of this report will mark the beginning of the scoping process for the project. Contractor will prepare and deliver an outreach and engagement briefing, in addition to a report for the PMT. The information will be presented at a PMT meeting. 2.7 Conflict Scoping Process (CSP) and Public Engagement - After the completion of the initial outreach and engagement activities, Contractor will proceed with activities similar to the State s CSP to continue engagement with the project stakeholders, identify and resolve risks, with the intent of forming informed consent from all the project stakeholders. The typical CSP process follows these steps: 1. Project Analysis 2. Stakeholder Identification 3. Conflict Identification 4. Mapping 5. Assessment 6. Strategy 7. Implementation and Management 8. Resolution, Review, and Regeneration 3

4 9. Post-Project Analysis Some of these steps will have been partially completed, as part of the initial outreach and engagement process. CSP Work Sessions will be held during PMT meetings on an as needed basis. The Contractor will use the engagement process previously outlined to inform the CSP and provide engagement with the community as part of the CSP. 2.8 Project Analysis - Contractor will conduct thorough project research and scale research to the size of the project or policy. The Contractor will formalize the Project Goals Statement and create a Project Analysis Report document explaining all the project goals from major to minor. 2.9 Update Stakeholder Report - Using information gathered from the initial outreach and engagement activities and the project analysis, Contractor will update the stakeholder report to include new or additional information on stakeholders Conflict Identification - Contractor will identify existing and potential issues related to the identified stakeholders and create a document identifying all conflicts Conflict Mapping - Contractor will produce an influence/interest grid of stakeholders. Relationships between stakeholders will be mapped, including alliances, relationships with friction, broken relationships, relationships that don t exist and relationships that need to exist. Power imbalances and triggering events, which may create issues will be indicated Assessment - Contractor will review conflicts for likelihood of occurring, risk to the project for time, scope and budget, and risk to the State s reputation. Contractor will prepare a Risk Assessment Document that explains the risk of each conflict Update Outreach and Engagement Strategies Report - Contractor will update the Draft Outreach and Engagement Strategies Report. Report will include information from the initial outreach and engagement activities, project analysis report, and updated stakeholder report to draft communications/engagement plans that attracts, recruits and retains all stakeholders to the process designed to influence the design alternatives created as a result of the study Outreach and Engagement Strategies Workshop - A workshop will be held with the Contractor and project s PMT to analyze the stakeholder list and the project objectives to review specific strategies for outreach and engagement with the specific intent of gaining informed consent from all stakeholders. Feedback from the workshop will be used to finalize the Outreach and Engagement Report. Contractor will provide meeting minutes as part of the PMT meeting minutes Final Outreach and Engagement Strategies Report - Contractor will submit a final report establishing the outreach and engagement strategies for the project Implementation and Management - CSP transitions to the implementation stage, where the team takes action toward resolutions, including communication with stakeholders and tracking progress. Project Management Team - Contractor will conduct PMT meetings every 4-6 weeks during the project. The project PMT meetings will be attended by State's Project Manager, State functional groups (as necessary), FHWA, Anoka County, Met Council, and Cities. This task includes arranging meeting space, agenda preparation, meeting facilitation, follow-up, and a summary of outcomes from each meeting. It is anticipated that the meetings will be held near the study area throughout the project. Technical Advisory Committee - Contractor will conduct up to 15 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings during the project. The project TAC meetings will be attended by stakeholders, including but not limited to: State s Project Manager, City staff (Spring Lake Park, Blaine, Ham Lake), City Councils, Metropolitan Council, North TH 65 Corridor Coalition, Chamber of Commerce meetings, National Sports Center, Metropolitan Airports Commission, and Metro Transit. This task includes agenda preparation, meeting facilitation, follow-up, and a summary of outcomes from each meeting. Conflict Resolution Meeting - Contractor will conduct up to 10 conflict resolution meetings 4

5 during the project. This task includes agenda preparation, meeting attendance, follow-up, and a summary of outcomes from each meeting. Outreach Activities - Contractor will implement the outreach and engagement strategy developed as a part of The actual outreach and engagement activities won t be known until the strategy is developed, the assumptions below can be used to develop the proposal. Assumptions: Two open house style meetings Participate in five neighborhood or public advisory committee meetings Ten small group meetings Contractor should continually monitor the stakeholders, planned outreach activities, and the effectiveness of the outreach activities and suggest changes to the plan. Contractor will submit a monthly Outreach and Engagement Report that identifies activities and changes over the month, including: A. Outreach and Engagement Activities, including: o Information on meeting time, place, and attendees o Summary of the feedback received o How the feedback will be incorporated into the project process o Future outreach and engagement identified B. Changes to the Outreach and Engagement Strategy based on changes to the project, new information, outreach and engagement activities, or other. C. Identify upcoming and future outreach and engagement activities 2.17 Resolution, Review, Regeneration - Contractor will track each identified conflict until final resolution. Issues where potential conflict never materializes will be monitored until project completion by the Contractor. Conflicts will be reviewed; those that are resolved but could regenerate as other stakeholders and issues emerge then return to Conflict Identification. Contractor will prepare a conflict tracking document Post-Project Analysis - Contractor will establish best practices and lessons learned to benefit Project Managers (PMs) in similar situations and improve CSP Website - Contractor will provide State Communications and Engagement staff with content for a website during the course of the study. The website will provide stakeholders and the general public information about the study and an opportunity to provide input to the study through the website. Relevant, accessible documents and visuals (such as a study area location map and summary of study) will be made available on the website in the appropriate format (i.e. Portable Document Format (PDF) or an image) for viewing, printing, and download. Information will include, but not be limited to, general information about the study s background, purpose, goals, scope and timeline, and information about opportunities to provide input, and study contact information. The website will be updated as new information is available/acquired. The website will meet Web Content Access Guidelines 2.0. Contractor will coordinate directly with State Communications and Engagement staff to understand and ensure content furnished to State meets State s requirements for branding and accessibility. Content will be in Plain Language PMT Meetings - Contractor will schedule, arrange meeting space for, prepare for, and lead Project Management Team Meetings (PMT) with representatives of FHWA, State Metro, Anoka County, Cities along corridor, and Metropolitan Council. The PMT will meet every 4-6 weeks to discuss progress, public involvement, and agency-related issues relevant to the project. Contractor will prepare meeting agendas and minutes and distribute by . It is anticipated that 16 PMT meetings will be held near the study site throughout the project. The first PMT meeting will include the State s Metro District North Area Manager to announce the purpose of this study and set expectations for potential outcomes of the study TH 65 West Frontage Road Meetings Contractor will conduct two public open house meetings in the City of Blaine specific to the analysis of options to develop a west frontage road between 99 th Ave NE and 109 th Ave NE. Contractor will be responsible for preparing written and display materials and exhibits, arranging meeting locations, meeting room set-up and tear-down, providing comment cards for guests, and documenting and summarizing comments received from the public. The Contractor will propose additional opportunities for public involvement as needed as an output of 2.15, Final Outreach and Engagement Strategies Report. The city of Blaine will be the ultimate face of this portion of the project to the public. 5

6 However, the Contractor will play an active role at the Public Open House meetings in leading discussions, encouraging dialog, managing expectations for current and future involvement, educating participants and helping explain technical data to the public, listening to and documenting diverse viewpoints, and encouraging participants to see the full picture and not strictly their own interests. The first meeting will be held shortly after the City of Blaine coordination meeting and the second later in the process as concepts are developed to share with the stakeholders Digitization and Transmission of Open House, Partner Agency and Stakeholder Meeting Exhibits - Any Open House, Partner Agency and Stakeholder Meeting exhibits (poster boards displayed on easels, plotted concepts, PowerPoint slides, handouts) will also be produced as PDF and the PDFs will be ed to stakeholders who request copies of these exhibits FHWA Concurrence Points Concurrence points for review by the FHWA will occur during scope, purpose and need, evaluation criteria, range of alternatives, and screening outcomes. 3 Existing Conditions 3.1 Prior Studies - Contractor will review and summarize the primary findings and recommendations of earlier relevant studies in the study area. Contractor will list and discuss reasons of any studies that were found and determined to be no longer relevant. 3.2 Plans and Policies Contractor will review and summarize applicable State, Anoka County, City of Blaine, City of Ham Lake, City of Spring Lake Park, and Metropolitan Council plans and policies. 3.3 Basemapping Contractor will assemble a base map which includes Computer Aided Design (CAD) files, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) files, and Right-of-Way Data for use in CAD and GIS. Topographic and existing right-of-way maps will be received from State. 3.4 Land Use Contractor will summarize and map existing and planned land use. This will include identification of ownership and use based on tax records and visual inspection. Properties within previous Official Maps will be identified as well as those to accommodate the previous freeway vision. A summary will be prepared that includes a map of existing and future private land uses, environmental justice properties, as well as publically owned land, a table of property ownership and estimated values, and photo inventory property use relative to the TH 65 corridor. 3.5 Access Inventory Contractor will summarize existing access conditions including number of access points by parcel and highway segment. Current access conditions relative to State s Access Management Manual guidelines and comparable corridors will be documented. Access will be mapped and tabulated in table format. 3.6 Freight and Transit Contractor will review existing and future freight and transit operations. 3.7 Environmental Screening Contractor will review past environmental studies combined with research to provide a high level environmental screening of the corridor to identifying potential issues to be aware of as concepts are developed and evaluated. More in depth analysis of issues will be limited to those that cannot be verified by mapping (e.g., environmental justice population identification, etc.). 3.8 Pedestrian and Bike Analysis Contractor will analyze and understand existing movements and needs as well as future conditions and future improvements that may enhance operations. Existing and planned facilities will be mapped. As part of the traffic counting pedestrian volumes will also be collected at the intersections. Field staff will also note any locations where a large number of pedestrians are crossing that may not be at an intersection that will be useful in determining supporting facility needs. Contractor will coordinate with Metro District s Pedestrian Bicycle Planner in the development of recommendations for addressing needs of pedestrians and bicyclists. 3.9 Crash Analysis Contractor will obtain crash data for the past 5 and 10 years. Five-year crash data will be analyzed and findings reported while 10-year data will be used to confirm trends and provide historic perspective. Crash data will be provided by Metro Traffic Engineering from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) database. Crash types and locations will be analyzed to determine crash patterns and will provide a basis for the 6

7 benefits analysis of options Define Project Limits Contractor will define the project limits based on existing conditions findings. Possible bottlenecks outside the proposed study area will be identified, and logical termini and construction phasing should be chosen based on traffic, environmental, regional, and social impacts Existing Conditions Documentation Issues Map Contractor will develop corridor issues map(s) that summarizes the opportunities and deficiencies in the study area. Preliminary Purpose and Need Statement Contractor will work with project partners to develop a preliminary Purpose and Need Statement that can be supported by all partners and be used to convey the overall need for a new corridor vision. Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum The existing conditions study will be documented in a technical memorandum. Summary Document Contractor will document the existing conditions study findings, including sources of information, methodologies and assumptions, analysis and findings. This document will be updated as more is learned and will serve as a key document that the project partners can refer to when developing alternatives. 4 Traffic Conditions Contractor will collect and analyze updated 15-minute turning movement and pedestrian/bicycle counts as specified below, for intersections not already counted during State s 2017 signal optimization project on Highway 65. Counts will be taken on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday when no adverse weather conditions, holidays or special events (e.g., fishing or hunting opener, major event at National Sports Center), road construction, or traffic incidents are affecting traffic. Turning movement counts must be provided as soon as available to State to be posted on State s turning movement count website. 4.1 Peak Period Counts - TH 65 Right-in/Right-out and Rural Intersections These include up to 30 of the higher volume right-in/right-out accesses along the corridor. Collect 4 hour AM and 4 hour PM peak period counts. 4.2 ATR / Wavetronix - State Automated Traffic Recorder (ATR) station #365 will be used to determine the mainline volume on TH 65 on the north end of the corridor and determine the seasonal variability of the traffic on the corridor. State will provide supplemental mainline volume and vehicle classification data from state owned and operated Wavetronix sensors for mainline TH 65, as available. Proposed locations include just north and south of 109 th and 125th. This data will be included as part of the analysis. Contractor will determine if others are deemed necessary during initial review of the corridor. Contractor will provide 4-6 weeks notice on when the data will be needed. 4.3 Off-System Intersection Data - Contractor will obtain traffic count data from State, County, and City authorities or collect data and analyze traffic volumes for the major cross-streets, parallel routes, and frontage/backage roads to TH 65 in the project area. Contractor will collect 2 hour AM and 2 hour PM period counts to fill in the missing data. This assumes that the Cities and County do not have recent information. Counts are limited to the intersections that are anticipated to be majorly affected by traffic volume shifts and focus on the corridors on the west and east sides of TH 65 and intersections directly adjacent to TH Existing LOS (motorized and non-motorized) Contractor will characterize level of service (LOS) for existing conditions. VISSIM will be used to evaluate the operations and determine the level of service. The model will take into account the existing signal timings, pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and motor vehicles for a complete model of the corridor that can then be used in the analysis and for presentation. VISSIM will also be used to evaluate the weaving and potential freeway elements in one model. Analysis will follow the latest edition Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) methodology. Operational analysis will be summarized for individual problem areas as well as corridor-wide measures of effectiveness include LOS, delay, average travel time, and average travel speeds. Up to ten (10) travel-time runs will be completed in the AM Peak Hour and PM Peak Hour to calibrate existing conditions analysis. At a minimum, corridor performance measures will be establishes measuring: Single occupancy vehicle performance Transit performance 7

8 Transit facility quality Pedestrian crossings Retail and commercial accessibility Access to community destinations 4.5 StreetLight analysis Contractor will utilize StreetLight (or similar) (access provided at no charge to Contractor via State) to gain insight into traffic characteristics, including origins and destinations; travelsheds; daily, weekly, and seasonal peaking; etc. 5 Traffic Forecasting 5.1 General Traffic Forecasting - Contractor will develop base year and 2040 forecasts using the Twin Cities Regional Activity Based Travel Demand Forecast Model with socioeconomic information from the Anoka County Travel Demand model as appropriate. Contractor will work with State, Metropolitan Council, and Anoka County to determine the baseline conditions of the model. Forecast data will be reported for the TH 65 corridor and the significant cross streets and parallel routes. Essential to the forecasting information will be a corridor analysis of trip origination and destination using the traffic counts and Streetlights Origin-Destination (O-D) data collected to provide a generalized O-D understanding. 5.2 Review Past Forecasting - Contractor will review the previous forecasting efforts that have been conducted for the corridor in recent history (roughly last 10 years), to assist in the understanding of the methodology and assumptions that went into the development of recent forecasting efforts for the corridor. Contractor will provide a brief description of these forecasting efforts and a comparison between the assumptions and processes of the Anoka County Travel Demand Model and the Twin Cities Regional Travel Demand Model and ultimately the model to be used for the forecasts. 5.3 Develop Travel Demand Forecasts - Contractor will work with stakeholders to arrive at an agreement on travel forecast methodology and assumptions consistent with State and Metropolitan Council guidelines and best practices. The modeling will be based on the Metropolitan Council approved forecasted Socio-Economic data control totals. Consistency with the Met Council Traffic Assignment Zones (TAZ) will be analyzed and any differences with Met Council TAZs will be noted and reconciled. A compelling rationale will be noted for any proposed changes to the Metropolitan Council s land use assumptions. Known future development plans will be incorporated into the model. Historic volume trends will be reviewed to test reasonableness of forecasted volumes. It is proposed that the travel demand model be used to provide the base conditions and forecasts that will be developed for the area. Understanding of the existing travel shed in the area is that there are few alternate routes. Review of the regional differences and discussions with State will be used to develop the baseline forecast volumes for the area. Possible regional alternatives include other corridor improvements outside of the direct study area such as improvements to I-35 which may serve the same trips as TH 65. Contractor will submit and present travel demand forecasting models and methodologies to State and Met Council for approval. Forecasts must be approved prior to using for any purposes including, but not limited to, capacity analysis, concept development and evaluation, public information, and project development. Additionally it is recognized that using the regional model to evaluate volume and route changes from numerous access changes on TH 65 may not be an appropriate use of the model. As such the effort from the regional model will be to develop the baseline volume forecasts that will be used to develop the alternatives. The following scenarios will be modeled initially: Existing conditions/validation check No-Build Plan horizon year (2040) Build Regional Alternative Plan horizon year (2040) Build Regional Alternative 2020 With the multitude of alternatives that could be evaluated, specific changes to the corridor for the alternatives will use VISTRO/VISSIM and hold cordon line volumes into/out of the study area. This will allow for traffic assignment in shorter time to evaluate changes due to increased traffic volumes, capacity changes, and the roadway network changes do that ultimately the O-D travel path can be changed as appropriate within the specific study area and the alternatives for the corridor can be evaluated using a consistent demand. Contractor will develop peak hour forecasts for the alternatives that will be carried forward through evaluation. This methodology will assure a consistent volume into and out of the area with the alternatives that are developed. Once analysis is completed and reasonable alternative(s) is are developed, the following additional 8

9 scenarios will be modeled: Build Alternative A 2020 Build Alternative A Plan horizon year (2040) Build Alternative B 2020 as needed Build Alternative B Plan horizon year (2040) as needed 2020 and 2040 traffic volumes will be developed using the corridor alternatives to evaluate the potential regional impacts the changes to the corridor could have on the traffic in the area, if any. These volumes may then influence minor modifications to the alternative(s). The purpose of the future analysis is to determine traffic flow effects, needs for additional lanes or auxiliary lanes, frontage/backage road needs, prioritization of improvements, and access point alternatives onto TH 65, not to choose interchange alternatives. Some viable alternatives may not be modeled. Intersection alternatives modeled will be those that have the most uncertainty in effecting the footprint. 5.4 Systems-level analysis of adjacent corridors - Analyze the impacts of TH 65 recommended improvements upon the operations of neighboring components of the highway network. For example, removing signals on TH 65 in Blaine will allow significantly greater southbound throughput during the morning peak period. The study must include analysis of where this traffic will go and what the impact of this greater throughput will be upon operations on those facilities. This analysis will be planninglevel rather than detailed. Facilities to be considered include TH 10, Anoka CSAH 10, Interstate 35W, TH 252, TH 610, as well as TH 65 south of the principal study limits. 5.5 Current Studies. The Contractor will coordinate with the Cities and County on any current studies or comprehensive planning efforts that may have an effect on this area. 6 Safety Analysis - Safety along TH 65, at current intersections and access points, will be evaluated. Evaluate the crash history of the corridor based on the existing crash types, severities, and locations. This includes the specific analysis of the patterns and locations. 6.1 Proposed Improvements - Safety benefits or costs of proposed changes in access or intersection/interchange type will be quantified. This includes consideration for pedestrians and bicyclists such as pedestrian level of service. Contractor will quantify the safety performance of the proposed alternatives using Highway Safety Manual and associated software, such as the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model. 7 Alternatives Development and Analysis 7.1 Alternatives Development - From a corridor-wide perspective, several approaches to concept development will be considered, including but not limited to: No Build Alternative; leave access as it is today Maintain primary access locations and consolidate secondary and private access, consider turn lane additions/improvements, develop connectivity on the local street system to improve safety and mobility Consolidate primary access locations in addition to secondary and private access, consider partial at-grade access and improved connectivity of local streets system Establish continuous flow through movement conditions with grade separation and partial at-grade access at primary locations Innovative intersections or combination of innovative intersections and grade separation Conversion to freeway conditions with revised access locations and interchange configurations Within each approach, access locations and potential configurations will be identified and basic, conceptual pre-design will be completed to understand feasibility, scale, operations, capacity, cost, and Social, Economic and Environmental (SEE) impacts. A footprint will be developed from all viable alternatives. Grade separation locations will focus on high return-on-investment solutions that target the highest risk areas addressing safety and mobility. Types of grade separations to be considered include overpasses, overpasses with right-in-right-out access, and partial and full interchanges. Alternatives will adhere to PBPD principles and ensure that the proposed intersection improvements are financially responsible and function well within the context of the corridor. Preliminary design work will include two-dimensional drawings of at-grade concepts with field and topographic evaluation of feasibility and three-dimensional drawings of grade-separated concepts (including profile view) to understand clearance, touchdown locations, and footprint. Photo imagery of similar applications within Minnesota and throughout the country will be used 9

10 to help illustrate concepts under consideration. 7.2 Cost Estimation Contractor will develop risk-based planning level cost estimates for the alternatives developed. The Contractor will work closely with State Cost Estimating personnel on establishing assumptions and appropriate methodology. 7.3 Supporting Roadway Network - Access and circulation needs on supporting roadways will be studied. Gaps in the supporting roadway network will be identified and with the potential links, access closures or reductions will be recommended. 7.4 TH 65 West Frontage Road Alternative Analysis - Contractor will develop three alternative concepts for the creation of a west frontage road for TH 65 between 99th Ave NE and 109th Ave NE plus extending the frontage road to tie into existing road sections north of 93rd Ave NE and south of 113th Ave NE Contractor will develop an Impact Matrix for each alternative. Areas to be addressed include: The Manufactured Home Parks (Environmental Justice Population) adjacent to the alignments, Potential costs of acquisition or relocations (high level appraisal), Environmental impacts including wetlands, and Economic impact and opportunities for developable properties. 7.5 Mobility - Level of service or another suitable measure will be used to characterize current and future (forecast) mobility for single occupancy vehicles, transit, people biking, and people walking under the various scenarios considered. Level of service characterization will be performed using the VISTRO/VISSIM tools. VISTRO will be used in support of VISSIM in developing trip patterns as the corridor access changes and trips that use alternate routes based on the traffic, delay, and access on TH 65 and the alternate routes. Display of results in map and/or tabular form as is most effective for use at project meetings, possible use in handouts or presentation boards at public meetings, and inclusion in final report. 7.6 ITS Contractor will research and evaluate innovative arterial, expressway, and freeway Intelligent Transportation System ( ITS) solutions that may provide additional capacity or improve service by providing timely information to motorists such as alternate routes based on congestion. 7.7 Access Contractor will evaluate and include connectivity options with surrounding network of county and municipal highways and streets, and consideration of non-motorized demands and connections. Identify the gaps in the supporting roadway network, especially as options are developed. Future crossing needs and barriers for non-motorized users will be identified along with future development plans. 7.8 Concept Evaluation Contractor will develop an evaluation framework / decision methodology to assess feasibility of alternative concepts and their ability to mitigate corridor safety and mobility deficiencies as well as achieve other corridor and community goals. Concept evaluation will be performed with respect to a minimum of the following: Technically Feasible ability to design within acceptable engineering principles Economically Viable utilization of existing investments, high benefit/low cost improvements, sustains highway-orientated business environment Publicly Accessible satisfies public safety needs, motorized and non-motorized accessibility, ability to establish understanding and support of concept and benefits achieved Environmentally Compatible avoidance or minimizing impacts on sensitive natural and built conditions, water resources considerations Contextually compatible assures intersection alternatives fit and function together along the corridor. All concepts will be evaluated through an initial screening, such as FHWA s CAP-X tool, to do an initial/planning level feasibility for capacity to identify potential fatal flaws. This initial screening will review high-level details and will be used to identify viable concepts for further evaluation. The attached PEL Questionnaire and Checklist will be used to assist in concept layout screening. A secondary screening will include a more detail review of viable concepts or approaches. The secondary screening, using a software such as HCM/HCS, will be used to further develop concepts and group site- specific approaches into corridor alternatives. A final screening will include a thorough review of conceptual details, how they address the project purpose and need, avoid or minimize 10

11 impacts, costs and value relative to the benefits achieved. 7.9 Concept Layout Layouts will be prepared that display reasonable alternative concepts. Accompanying high-level cost estimate(s) will also be prepared. The concept layout(s) will be used to display the corridor access vision, identify individual and independent projects as well as sequencing of projects, and right-of-way needs necessary to achieve vision Concept Development and Evaluation Technical Memorandum The concept development and evaluation will be documented in a technical memorandum. 8 Study Documentation 8.1 Study Report Contractor will deliver a comprehensive study report to project partners that will not only serve as documentation of the study, but as a valuable resource to be referenced as the corridor grows and evolves. The study report will contain the research, findings, next steps for NEPA-level standards, and recommendations that were completed in this study. The appendices will contain all technical memorandums developed through the study process. Contents to include: Executive Summary targeted to general audience Public and Agency Participation Existing Conditions Traffic Forecasting Development and Evaluation of Concepts Recommendations and Next Steps (Implementation Plan) Appendices to include meeting minutes, technical memorandums, cost estimates, resolutions, completed PEL questionnaire for this stage of the study. Fifteen hard copies will be furnished to State, along with a PDF that meets ADA accessibility and branding requirements of the State s Communications and Engagement team. 8.2 Implementation Plan Contractor will lead study partners in developing a fiscally responsible implementation plan that prioritizes transportation improvement recommendations. The recommended concept will be divided into components with independent utility. Through discussions at the PMT level, priorities will be set and lead agencies will be defined. Recommendations on next steps will be provided, as well as the identification for potential funding sources for each investment category. Contractor will prepare an implementation matrix that summarizes the implementation approach on a project and agency level. 8.3 One-Page Summary - Contractor will prepare a one-page, double-sided summary of the study and its recommendations. Layout will include graphics and design to make the summary engaging and accessible to nontechnical audiences. One hundred hard copies will be furnished to State, along with a PDF version that meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and branding requirements of the State s Communications and Engagement team. Items provided by State, County, and Cities: State, after authorizing the start of work, will furnish any data or material in its possession relating to the corridor that may be of use to Contractor in the execution of work. All data furnished to Contractor, by State, will remain the property of State and will be returned to State at the conclusion of the project, or earlier if requested. County and Cities will furnish any data or material in their possession relating to the corridor that may be of use to Contractor in prosecution of the work. All data furnished to contractor, by County/Cities will remain the property of the respective County/City and will be returned to the respective County/City at the conclusion of the project, or earlier if requested. Contractor Deliverables Monthly progress reports A project log that documents decisions and discussions of issues affecting the plan Invoicing Public involvement plan Stakeholder Report Situational Analysis Report Outreach and Engagement Strategy Report (Draft, Initial, and Final) Project Analysis Report Conflict Identification Report Influence/interest grid document 11

12 Risk Assessment Document Outreach and Engagement Reports Conflict tracking document Project Analysis Report Website content Schedule Open house presentations, boards, and summaries Agendas and meeting minutes of all meetings Draft responses to comments received during public engagement Base mapping Evaluation matrix Planning and Environmental Linkages Questionnaire and Checklist (Form will be provided by FHWA) Concepts (MicroStation) Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum Concept Development and Evaluation Technical Memorandum Turning movement counts Traffic Forecasting Technical Memorandum 2020 and 2040 Traffic Forecasts and Graphics VISSIM Simulation Files and videos of simulation If used, CAP-X and IHSDM Electronic Files Traffic Data Reports from VISSIM and VISTRO using Highway Capacity Manual methodology Final Study Report 15 hard copies plus electronic Executive summary brochure 100 hard copies plus electronic Deliverables for Traffic Forecasting task Brief document summarizing forecasting methodology and assumptions used to develop travel forecasts, and subsequent reasonableness checks of results, per MnDOT s Revised Guidelines for Twin City Travel Demand Forecasts Prepared for the Metropolitan District memorandum dated May 10, Forecasts for the following years: 2020 and design year (2040), including average annual daily traffic, AM peak hour volume and PM peak hour volume, by direction as appropriate. One paper and one electronic copy of the draft report, three copies of the final report plus one electronic copy in PDF and one Microsoft Word copy. Graphic representation (i.e., maps) of existing volumes plus forecast years 2020 and Deliverable Standards Software Adobe Acrobat XI or newer Microsoft Excel 2013 or newer Microsoft Word 2013 or newer MicroStation Version 8 Paper copies Paper copies of documents will be printed two-sided to conserve paper to the extent possible. Paper copies of drawings will be printed single-sided on inch paper to the extent possible. Electronic copies Electronic documents will be submitted in both PDF and in the original file format. The purpose for requesting the original file format in addition to PDF is so if an error is discovered after the project is finished, the State can edit the original file to correct the error in future printings. Electronic documents will be delivered via , ProjectWise, or file transfer protocol (FTP). 12