Title
RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY'S RAISE GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE RICE LAKE RD (CSAH 4) CORRIDOR PROJECT.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, Rice Lake Rd (CSAH 4) is a regionally significant roadway that serves the city of Duluth and the greater Twin Ports metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, Rice Lake Rd (CSAH 4) is currently experiencing tension between multiple factors such as the roadway function, traffic operations and safety, controlled access designation, requests for access and designation by the City of Rice Lake's Comprehensive Plan that the city's commercial development be centered on Rice Lake Rd (CSAH 4); and
WHEREAS, if nothing is done to address these competing factors, this vision for development will likely not be fully realized and traffic operations and safety will continue to deteriorate thus harming the transportation utility of Rice Lake Rd (CSAH 4), which will result in negative spillover effects to the greater Twin Ports metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, in response, St. Louis County has been working on the development of the Rice Lake Rd (CSAH 4) Corridor Project, located within the cities of Duluth and Rice Lake; and
WHEREAS, the goal of this project is to better balance these competing factors through a comprehensive project that improves the local transportation network by respecting the function of Rice Lake Rd (CSAH 4), while improving traffic operations and safety, constructing new street infrastructure, constructing trails to support a multi-modal transportation system, and supporting future development through sustainable access management strategies; and
WHEREAS, the future success of Rice Lake Rd (CSAH 4) is expected to benefit the residents and businesses located within the greater Twin Ports metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, St. Louis County is seeking funding for the Rice Lake Rd (CSAH 4) Corridor Project through the RAISE Grant which is a grant program included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)...
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