Gold Line BRTOD: Sun Ray Station Area Phase 2 Engagement...

Website: TheGatewayCorridor.com Email: [email protected]

Gold Line BRTOD: Sun Ray Station Area Phase 2 Engagement Results Prepared September 2018

Phase 2 Feedback, Overview The project received a small amount of feedback for these Phase 2 Concept Alternatives. There was a community session with the District 1 Community Council Land Use Committee in August 2018, two Gold Line Open Houses for the entire corridor organized by the Gold Line Project Office in July, and an online survey open through early September. Below are summary graphics of the information provided to participants, followed by the responses sorted alphabetically. The locations of participants who listed their Zip Codes were on the east side of St. Paul, with one from central St. Paul and one in Woodbury.

Background: Sun Ray Station Area Objectives (October 2017) From community input, the following objectives were identified for this station area:

• Create a safe station environment • Promote compatible development • Ensure safe walking and biking within the station area • Manage traffic speed on Old Hudson Road • Consider improved north/south bus services to Sun Ray transit center • Consider additional crossings of I-94 to the station

mailto:[email protected]



Background: Station Location and Guideway Design Refinements (May 2018) At the Sun Ray Station, the proposed BRT bus route (exclusive, bus-only lanes) is to be located along the north side of I-94 and south of Old Hudson Road between Ruth Street and McKnight Road. The station platform is located east of Pedersen Street and will consist of a 20-foot wide center platform. Station access improvements will include: Crosswalks New sidewalks on Pedersen

Street Potential 10-foot walk + bike trail

along Old Hudson Road Potential sound wall/snow wall

between the BRT station platform and I-94

Access for express bus to downtown

Buses cross over to station platform

Center platform

Considering sound/snow wall

Crosswalks

Considering 10-foot walk + bike trail




Phase 2 Alternatives: Station Access Concepts The proposed walk and bike connections emphasize safe and direct access to the station and other destinations within 1/2 mile of the Sun Ray Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station. These are described and shown on the map and additional illustrations below.

3rd Street bike lanes

Pedersen Street wide sidewalks and bike markings in roadway

Corridor-wide walk and bike trail (Old Hudson Road, Ruth Street and Burns/Suburban Avenue)

Existing and planned walk and bike routes

C

B




3rd Street bike lanes (A on the map): Potential 3rd Street bike lanes connect the BRT station to residential areas, Harding High School and the Conway Recreation Center and Sun Ray library.

3rd Street bike lanes: Responses, comments

What do you find attractive or appealing about the potential bike lanes on 3rd Street? • Actual divider for bike safety • Less interference with traffic • Off to side

What are your concerns or questions about the potential bike lanes or suggested changes to the route?

• Can we upzone the housing over here? The single family development seems inappropriate for an area this close to a transit stop. • That bike traffic can impede auto traffic

3rd Street (Existing) 3rd Street (Proposed)




Pedersen Street sidewalks and bike markings in roadway (B on the map): Potential widened sidewalks and bike markings in the roadway connect the existing Sun Ray transit center, the library and Conway Recreation Center to the Sun Ray BRT station.

Pedersen Street sidewalks and bike marking: Responses, comments

What do you find attractive or appealing about the potential sidewalks and bike markings in the roadway? What are your concerns or questions about the improvements or suggested changes to the route?

• Not generous enough sidewalk • Prefer no mingling of auto & bike traffic • Shared lanes aren't as safe as separated • Would prefer parking on one side of street only with a dedicated bike path on the other side

Pedersen Street (Existing)

Pedersen Street (Proposed)




Old Hudson Road corridor-wide walk and bike trail (C on the map): The Twin Cities ranks in the top 20 among the 70 largest US cities in percentage of bicycling commuters identified in the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. A proposed 9-mile corridor-wide walking and biking trail adjacent to the Gold Line BRT transitway and a parallel route will connect BRT stations and link to employment, recreation, shopping, entertainment, and existing regional trails.




Old Hudson Road trail segment: Potential improvements along the north side of Old Hudson Road provide safe walk and bike access to the BRT station and to destinations such as the Sun Ray Shopping Center and the 3M campus.

Ruth Street Bridge trail segment: Potential Ruth Street Bridge improvements (walk and bike trail on east side of bridge) connect the BRT station and Sun Ray shopping center to destinations south of I-94 such as grocery stores and the corridor trail along Burns Avenue.

10-foot trail and no landscape buffer

10-foot trail and landscape buffer

Ruth Street Bridge (Existing)

Ruth Street Bridge (Proposed)

10-foot minimum

t il

5-foot landscape buffer




Old Hudson Road: Responses, comments

What do you find attractive or appealing about the walk and bike trail along Old Hudson Road? • I like it, but it would be best if it connected to a bike path along the west side of McKnight road. Right now the bike path is on the west side

where few people live. Residences are all on the east side so bikers use the narrow sidewalks now. Also all the retail where people are trying to get to is on the east side

• Landscape buffer. This is a barren, hot stretch of road, any vegetation would make this more appealing and comfortable • Separate lanes for each mode of transportation

• Separated bus, car and bike paths

What are your concerns or questions about the walk and bike trail along Old Hudson Road, or suggested changes to the route? • If it will really work the way it is intended • Landscape buffer. Who would care for it? Otherwise it dies and becomes a horrible weed bed • There is no plan for better connection south of 94. Regardless of the sidewalk "improvements" recently added, this is a pedestrian zone

that is fraught with danger due to the 94 on/off ramps and awkward traffic connection from southbound McKnight

Ruth Street Bridge and corridor-wide walk + bike trail: Responses, comments What do you find attractive or appealing about the walk and bike trail on the east side of the bridge?

• Separate paths for all modes of transportation What are your questions or concerns about the walk and bike trail on the east side of the bridge, or suggested changes?

• More congestion on Ruth street in general • Most people heading north on Ruth are turning right at Hudson to get to the shopping center. If you don’t have a right turn lane, the road

backs up at rush hour.




Phase 2 Alternatives: Potential Transit-supportive Land Uses The potential land use concept and examples on the next page identify the location of uses that support a safe and active BRT station environment, enhance BRT ridership and capitalize on the station area’s proximity to I-94, and support access to BRT. The Sun Ray BRT station and potential plaza and park amenities encourage future development, including: Shopping center redevelopment into a mixed-use neighborhood with multi-family housing, employment, and retail/commercial uses A new street grid with enhanced opportunities to walk and bike to neighborhood uses, and safe and direct access to the Sun Ray station A station plaza surrounded by retail storefronts that create an active Sun Ray station Pedersen Street is redeveloped as a neighborhood commercial street with commercial/retail storefronts and multi-family housing Improved access to and from the Pedersen Street transit center, proposed park-and-ride, and the Sun Ray BRT station

Key: The areas in red would support existing and potential future retail and commercial development in a mix of existing and new buildings oriented to a new street. The areas in orange could support future apartments, condominiums, or offices. The areas in green and pink could be a public park and plaza to support existing and future development.

Development Summary: Multi-family housing, 300

to 750 units Retail/commercial,

125,000 -200,000 square feet

Office/flex, 30,000 square feet

Hotel, 100-200 rooms Public space, 1.5 acres




Examples: Potential transit-supportive land uses

Neighborhood commercial street -- Approximate location, examples

Retail “Main Street” – Approximate location, examples




Potential land uses: Responses, comments

What do you find attractive or appealing about the potential land uses? • Any of this land development would be an improvement over what we currently have • I’m in favor of finally investing in the economic development of this area. I like having park and ride parking • Multi family is great so lo g as it is not low income housing. The Battle Creek neighborhood needs affordable housing, not low income. • No island buildings in a sea of asphalt • Not much at all • Way less parking!

What are your questions or concerns or suggested changes for the potential land uses?

• I see overpriced housing and retail rental options in this plan • I’m worried that we will get retail business in the spaces created. Suburban Ave couldn’t even keep at pawn shop open. I don’t want all low

end business like pawn shops and plasma centers filling up the space. The housing built Needs to have a healthy mix of market rate units. • I'd be surprised if even a fraction of this development comes to fruition and it doesn't include more Dollar Stores, discount stores, or the

crap we have in Sunray now • Less multi family housing • Not sure on alternative plan, need time to think about it • That a vocal minority will derail this great plan




Phase 2 Alternatives: Destinations

Looking at the METRO Gold Line BRT route and the two destination maps below, note the wide variety of destinations along the corridor that will be accessible via the Gold Line BRT after it opens in 2024. One of the key benefits of the Gold Line BRT is to provide more convenient access to destinations such as bike routes, restaurants, shopping, recreation and fitness, entertainment and sports, classes and education, meetings and appointments, and transit connections.

Gold Line Destinations, East

BRT guideway

Primary walk + bike BRT station access Neighborhood walk + bike access routes

Corridor walk + bike trail

Gold Line Destinations, West



http://thegatewaycorridor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Phase-2-20180802-Destinations-east-Etna.jpg


Destinations: Responses

Looking at the METRO Gold Line BRT route and the destination map above, use the table to note destinations along the Gold Line corridor you visit now, don’t visit now, and those you might visit using the Gold Line BRT after it opens in 2024. Destination Visit now Don’t

visit now Visit in future

using BRT Restaurants 2 2 0 Shopping 3 1 2 Employment 0 0 0 Recreation, fitness 1 3 0 Entertainment, sports 2 2 3 Classes/education 1 3 0 Health 1 3 1 Work-related meetings/activities 0 4 1 Access to bike trails/lanes 1 1 2 Transit connections 1 1 2 Other, please explain below 0 1 0



Gold Line BRTOD: Sun Ray Station Area Phase 2 Engagement...

Documents

Transcript of Gold Line BRTOD: Sun Ray Station Area Phase 2 Engagement...