Study Overview & Partners

Community Growth

Like many areas around the Twin Cities metropolitan region, Anoka County and the surrounding areas have experienced rapid growth. Anoka County has seen its population grow by more than 80,000, from 243,641 persons in 1990 to approximately 327,000 in 2006. Increased population has resulted in higher traffic volumes throughout the area. This increased traffic has been especially noticeable in the City of Lino Lakes on CSAH 34, also known as Birch Street, raising concerns about perceived congestion, safety and traffic signal needs. The CSAH 34 Corridor Study is the initial step in addressing these concerns.

Goals & Objectives

The primary goal of this study is to identify a preferred roadway concept for the CSAH 34 Corridor. As an important east and west route for the City of Lino Lakes and Anoka County, the CSAH 34 Corridor is a critical component of the both the city and county transportation systems. The study objectives are listed below:

  • Develop an understanding of the issues, constraints and opportunities in the corridor through: comprehensive data collection/assembly; technical analysis of issues/problems; and discussions with stakeholders.
  • Prepare a corridor vision and creatively develop a range of solutions that reflect sound technical design practices and meet the project’s goals while minimizing potential social, economic, and environmental impacts.
  • Consider opportunities to strengthen the sense of community by incorporating gateway treatments and streetscape concepts into roadway alternatives if they are compatible with sound roadway design and support corridor safety objectives. Also consider multi-modal needs such as pedestrian, bicycle and transit in the overall corridor implementation plan.
  • Evaluate the concepts, their costs, and select a preferred corridor plan and propose a staged implementation program that meets federal and state environmental regulations.
  • Involve stakeholders throughout the decision-making process to: enhance understanding of corridor issues, goals and objectives; build credibility for technical analysis; and foster support for implementation.

Project Partners

Public agency representatives are actively involved in the CSAH 34 Corridor Study and are providing invaluable input. Project partners include the City of Lino Lakes, Anoka County, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN/DOT).

Technical Advisory Committee

The Technical Advisory Committee will meet regularly during the course of the study. The TAC is composed of senior technical staff from the city, county, and MN/DOT. The Committee will guide the overall study process, digest input from the neighborhood advisory committee, elected officials, and other public involvement activities. The TAC will also review technical analyses and make recommendations to the Lino Lakes City Council and Anoka County Board of Commissioners. Committee activities will include reviewing and evaluating concept alternatives and recommending a preferred roadway concept. Members of the TAC are:

  • Jack Corkle, Sr. Multimodal Transportation Planner, Anoka County Highway, and overall study manager
  • Mike Grochala, Community Development Director, City of Lino Lakes
  • Curt Kobilarcsik, Engineering Program Manager, Anoka County Highway
  • Andrew Witter, Asst. Co. Engineer, Anoka County Highway Department
  • Karen Blaska, Park Planner, Anoka County Parks
  • Jeff Smyser, City Planner, City of Lino Lakes
  • Jim Studenski, City Engineer, City of Lino Lakes
  • Mark Lindeberg, North Area Engineer, MN/DOT Transportation Department
  • Rhonda Sivarajah, Anoka County Commissioner

Neighborhood Advisory Committee

The NAC will play a critical role in helping guide and provide feedback from the community. The specific role of the NAC will be to provide direction, digest input, review recommendations, and report back to their respective groups. We anticipate the NAC to comprise 15-20 people from key community groups; potentially including residents, Rice Creek Elementary School and PTA representatives, businesses, park and Rice Creek Watershed officials, and members of the TAC. The group will meet approximately six times throughout the study process. If you are interested in participating in the NAC, please contact Jack Corkle or Mike Grochala.

The next NAC meeting has not yet been scheduled; the agenda will be posted on the Meeting Agendas and Summaries page when it is published. Announcements will be made here as new information becomes available.

Policy-Making Bodies

The Lino Lakes Planning and Zoning Board, the Lino Lakes City Council, and the Anoka County Public Works Committee will act as the policy-making and approval bodies for this study. The policy-making responsibilities will include considering Technical Advisory Committee input and recommendations, approving study products (for example, a corridor vision and preferred roadway concept) and implementing recommendations (for example, official mapping) with other governing bodies.