CEDAR AVENUE TRANSITWAY STATION AREA PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NOVEMBER 2017 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM STUDY PREPARED BY: Matthew Parent, Dakota County Hoisington Koegler Group, Inc. Kristine Elwood, Dakota County Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Mary Montagne, Dakota County Lilian Leatham, Dakota County Erik Slettedahl, City of Eagan STUDY FUNDED BY: Jill Hutmacher, City of Eagan Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority Mike Ridley, City of Eagan City of Eagan Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Matthew Parent, Dakota County Kristine Elwood, Dakota County Mary Montagne, Dakota County Station Area Plan Project Manager: Lilian Leatham, Dakota County Matthew Parent Erik Slettedahl, City of Eagan Dakota County Jill Hutmacher, City of Eagan 14955 Galaxie Avenue Mike Ridley, City of Eagan Apple Valley, MN 55124 Regina Dean, City of Burnsville Phone: 952-891-7271 email: [email protected] Aaron Bartling, MVTA Jen Lehmann, MVTA Jon Solberg, MnDOT Molly Kline, MnDOT Cole Hiniker, Met Council Patrick Boylan, Met Council THIS PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY THE EAGAN CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 6TH, 2017 Lucy Galbraith, Metro Transit AND BY THE DAKOTA COUNTY REGIONAL RAILROAD AUTHORITY ON NOVEMBER 14TH, 2017. HOISINGTON KOEGLER GROUP II STATION AREA PLAN: NOVEMBER 2017 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IV CEDAR AVENUE TRANSITWAY III CEDAR GROVE STATION TWIN CITIES PREMIUM OUTLETS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MINNESOTA RIVER In 2013, the Cedar Avenue Transitway (METRO Red CEDAR GROVE Line) began high-frequency station to station bus rapid STATION transit (BRT) service between the Mall of America in Bloomington and the Apple Valley Transit station along TWIN CITIES the Cedar Avenue Transitway. The implementation of the PREMIUM OUTLETS METRO Red Line was a result of planning efforts led by MINNESOTA RIVER CEDAR ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL the Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority (DCRRA) DIFFLEY RD 30 and partners to serve the transit needs of the growing METCALF MIDDLE SCHOOL southern communities in Dakota County including Eagan, Apple Valley and Lakeville. In 2015, Dakota County developed a Cedar Avenue Transitway / METRO Red Line HWY 13 Implementation Plan Update (IPU) to identify service CLIFF ROAD and facility improvements that will improve transit CEDAR ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL STATION EAST DIFFLEY RD opportunities within the corridor now and in the future. 30 RAHN PARK METCALF MIDDLE Included in the 2015 IPU is a recommendation that station SCHOOL area plans be developed for each existing and planned AVENUE CEDAR CINNAMON RIDGE station to help local communities prepare for a more APARTMENTS sustainable community that integrates transit into future HWY 13 CLIFF RD 32 growth and allows for more travel options for residents. CLIFF ROAD Additionally, the Metropolitan Council Regional Transitway STATION EAST RAHN PARK guideline requires station area planning for infill stations. CEDAR AVENUE CEDAR I-35E CINNAMON RIDGE The Cedar Avenue Transitway Station Area Plan is APARTMENTS CLIFF ROAD intended to provide a guide for future policy decisions, STATION WEST CLIFF RD development, and public investments in the Red Line 32 station areas located in the City of Eagan, including the existing Cedar Grove Station and the proposed Cliff Road Stations. The study identifies the near- and long-term I-35E public improvements in each of the station areas focused Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community on improving transit ridership, enhancing the transit user CLIFF ROAD 0 0.25 0.5 1 STATION WEST Legend Miles experience, and promoting transit-oriented development Existing and Planned BRT Stations opportunities. Station Planning Study Area F IGURE I.1 CEDAR GROVE AND CLIFF ROAD STATION AREAS Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community IV STATION AREA PLAN: NOVEMBER 2017 0 0.25 0.5 1 Legend Miles Existing and Planned BRT Stations Station Planning Study Area The Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority (DCRRA) and the City of Eagan have begun the process to complete METRO Red Line transit station area planning in the vicinity of the Cedar Grove and Cliff Road transit stations in the City of Eagan. The METRO Red Line, the first bus rapid transit (BRT) line in the Twin Cities region, provides enhanced bus service to major commercial and employment centers along Cedar Avenue between Apple Valley and the Mall of America. The station area plans will provide a guide for future policy decisions, development and public investments in the Cedar Grove and Cliff Road station areas. The station area plans are intended to enhance opportunities for economic development and improve transit ridership. We need your input! Learn more about the project and share your ideas for station area planning. Project Manager: Matthew Parent Dakota County www.hkgi.com/projects/EaganBRTStations/index.php 952-891-7271 The Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority (DCRRA) and the City of Eagan have begun the process to complete METRO Red Line transit station area [email protected] planning in the vicinity of the Cedar Grove and Cliff Road transit stations in the City of Eagan. The METRO Red Line, the first bus rapid transit (BRT) line in the Twin Cities region, provides enhanced bus service to major commercial and employment centers along CedarCEDAR Avenue between AVENUE Apple TRANSITWAY Valley and the Mall HOISINGTON KOEGLER GROUP of America. The station area plans will provide a guide for future policy decisions, development and public investments in the Cedar Grove and Cliff Road station areas. The station area plans are intended to enhance opportunities for economic development and improveSTATION transit ridership. AREA PLANNING We need your input! Learn more about the project and share your ideas for station area planning. Project Manager: Matthew Parent Dakota County www.hkgi.com/projects/EaganBRTStations/index.php 952-891-7271 [email protected] CEDAR AVENUE TRANSITWAY HOISINGTON KOEGLER GROUP STATION AREA PLANNING PLANNING PROCESS The planning process involved an inventory and analysis of existing conditions in the station areas, including pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, transit facilities, roadways, utilities, land uses and amenities. It also included an analysis of existing plans, studies and market conditions in each station area. This information was supplemented with stakeholder input received through a series of interviews and other forums for community input. The following is a brief summary of the planning process: INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS The Cedar Avenue Transit Station Planning Study included an evaluation of existing infrastructure, transit, pedestrian and bicycle environments within an area approximately ½ mile from each station intended to provide information regarding existing gaps and potential opportunities for enhancing mobility in each station area. The site analysis identified several gaps in pedestrian and bicycle systems around each station and opportunities to enhance the public realm to make connections to transit more pedestrian and bike-friendly. RELATED PLANS AND STUDIES The Station Area Plans are also informed by several related planning documents and studies, including the City of Eagan 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Dakota County 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Dakota County 2030 Transportation Plan, METRO Red Line Cedar Avenue BRT Market and Development Study, and the Cedar Avenue Transitway Implementation Plan Update. Key takeaways from these plans and studies include: » Create compact, mixed-use neighborhoods that place parks, schools, civic buildings and retail within walking distance of people’s homes » Support neighborhoods becoming more pedestrian and bike-friendly through additional trail connections, sidewalks, improved street intersections, and landscape treatments » Promote transit supportive land uses that encourage active living and transit ridership » Provide transit passenger amenities such as lighting, benches, bicycle facilities, and attractive landscaping » Clearly define and aggressively market the benefits and features of BRT service CEDAR AVENUE TRANSITWAY V MARKET ANALYSIS STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Additionally, the study included an evaluation of existing Stakeholder engagement was critical to the creation of the Cedar Avenue Transitway Station Area and anticipated market conditions in each station area, Plan. A purposeful and effective stakeholder engagement plan was conducted throughout the providing Dakota County and the City of Eagan with project to ensure plan recommendations reflect stakeholder input and priorities. Engagement a better understanding of potential development and efforts included: regular meetings with the Project Management Team (PMT), consisting of County redevelopment opportunities in each station area and and City staff, and the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), consisting of County and City staff, and what land uses to plan for based on market feasibility. other agency representatives; stakeholder interviews, pop-up displays at community events; public Overall, the market study recommends that the City open houses; and online survey input. Building on previous engagement efforts conducted for the of Eagan and local developers focus on creating a Cedar Avenue transit corridor, stakeholder engagement for this planning effort provided important residentially-focused