HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 07.b
City of Lakeville
2040 Transportation Plan Update
Lakeville Transportation Plan
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Vision for the Transportation System ....................................................................................................... 1
Report Organization .................................................................................................................................. 1
Summary of Regional Transportation Goals ............................................................................................... 2
Lakeville Goals and Policies ......................................................................................................................... 2
Roadway System Plan .................................................................................................................................. 7
Jurisdictional Classification ....................................................................................................................... 7
Functional Classification ........................................................................................................................... 9
Planned and Programmed Improvements .............................................................................................. 15
Coordination with other Jurisdictions ..................................................................................................... 16
2040 Travel Demand Forecasts ............................................................................................................... 18
Existing and Anticipated Capacity Deficiencies ....................................................................................... 19
Roadway Safety ....................................................................................................................................... 32
Recommended Roadway System Improvements ................................................................................... 35
Right-of-Way Preservation ...................................................................................................................... 36
Access Management ............................................................................................................................... 36
Traffic Management Strategies............................................................................................................... 40
Transit System Plan .................................................................................................................................... 41
Transit Market Areas ............................................................................................................................... 41
Existing System Inventory ....................................................................................................................... 43
Existing Transit Facilities ......................................................................................................................... 43
Transit Advantages .................................................................................................................................. 46
Travel Demand Management ................................................................................................................. 46
Transit Service Types ............................................................................................................................... 47
Future Transit Development ................................................................................................................... 49
Bicycle and Trail System Plan ..................................................................................................................... 50
Planning for a Connected Pedestrian and Bicycle System ...................................................................... 50
Existing Trail System ................................................................................................................................ 50
Gaps in Existing Trail System ................................................................................................................... 52
Connections to Regional Employment Clusters ...................................................................................... 54
Regional Parks System Components ....................................................................................................... 54
Regional Bicycle Transportation Network .............................................................................................. 55
Freight System Plan .................................................................................................................................... 57
Aviation System Plan.................................................................................................................................. 59
City of Lakeville Transportation Plan
Funding Strategies ...................................................................................................................................... 61
Planning for the Future .............................................................................................................................. 62
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 1
Introduction
The City of Lakeville is located in Dakota County, Minnesota, and is 20 miles south of downtown
Minneapolis and 20 miles southwest of downtown Saint Paul. Lakeville is the sixteenth largest City
in Minnesota by population, and the City boundary encompasses 38 square miles and is bordered by
the Cities of Burnsville and Apple Valley to the north, Farmington and Empire Township to the
east, New Market and Eureka Townships to the south, and Credit River Township to the west.
Vision for the Transportation System
The purpose of the Transportation Plan is to provide a means to better connect the community,
outline the policy and program guidance needed to make appropriate transportation related
decisions when development occurs, state when elements of the transportation system need to be
upgraded, and forecast when transportation challenges may occur. The Transportation Plan
demonstrates how the City of Lakeville will provide for an integrated transportation system that will
serve the future needs of its residents and businesses, support the City’s development plans, and
complement the portion of the metropolitan transportation system that lies within the City’s
boundaries.
The City of Lakeville maintains public roadways, public parking lots/facilities, and public trails and
sidewalks within the City. The City also maintains all trails and sidewalks as well as snow removal per
council request. Maintaining and improving this multimodal transportation system is important to
the ongoing economic health and quality of life of the City, and is needed for people to travel easily
and safely to work and other destinations, to develop property and to move goods.
Report Organization
The Transportation Plan is organized into the following sections:
• Roadway System Plan
• Transit System Plan
• Bicycle and Trail System Plan
• Freight System Plan
• Aviation System Plan
• Funding Strategies
• Planning for the Future
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 2
Summary of Regional Transportation Goals
Guidance for the development of the Transportation Plan is provided by the Metropolitan Council’s
2040 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP). The Metropolitan Council’s TPP includes six major themes
that address regional transportation:
Transportation System Stewardship: Provide sustainable investments in the transportation
system which are protected by strategically preserving, maintaining, and operating system assets.
Safety and Security: Ensure the regional transportation system is safe and secure for all users.
Access to Destinations: Allow people and businesses to prosper by using a reliable, affordable, and
efficient multimodal transportation system that connects them to destinations throughout the region
and beyond.
Competitive Economy: Ensure the regional transportation system supports the economic
competitiveness, vitality, and prosperity of the region and State.
Healthy Environments: Confirm the regional transportation system advances equity and
contributes to communities’ livability and sustainability while protecting the natural, cultural, and
developed environments.
Levering Transportation Investment to Guide Land Use: Leverage the region’s transportation
investments to guide land use and development patterns that advance the regional vision of
stewardship, prosperity, livability, equity, and sustainability.
Lakeville Goals and Policies
The role of the Metropolitan Council is to coordinate large-scale transportation planning efforts to
benefit the metropolitan region. As a metropolitan community, Lakeville’s role is to respond to
Metropolitan Council’s initiatives and coordinate with adjacent communities, while addressing its
local responsibility to improve the quality of life for its citizens. To respond to the above themes, as
well as to serve economic activities and improve the quality of life in Lakeville, the City has adopted
the following transportation policies.
Goal 1. Provide sustainable investments in the transportation system which are protected by
strategically preserving, maintaining, and operating system assets.
Policy 1.1 Treat all modes of transportation and related facilities as one system to be
coordinated and related on a comprehensive basis.
Policy 1.2 Protect investments in the transportation system through strategic
preservation, maintenance, and operation of system assets.
Policy 1.3 Coordinate transportation planning and implementation with neighboring
and affected units of government including State, regional, County, and
municipal bodies.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 3
Policy 1.4 Cooperate with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and Metro Transit in
providing sufficient and adequate park-and-ride lots in appropriate locations
to serve community needs.
Policy 1.5 Develop a transportation system that serves the mobility and access needs of
the City’s residents, businesses, and institutions and supports the City’s
growth and development vision.
Policy 1.6 Utilize performance measures to catalog system deficiencies and identify the
level of satisfaction experienced by users of the transportation system.
Provide maintenance, improve traffic control, and upgrade roadways as
necessary.
Policy 1.7 Consider opportunities to improve the City’s Intelligent Transportation
System infrastructure to be prepared to potentially support autonomous
vehicles and connected vehicles in the future; this could be accomplished
when significant investments are proposed for construction and
reconstruction projects.
Policy 1.8 Ensure hierarchy of adjacent roadway system is complimentary to land use
types as land use redevelops.
Goal 2. Ensure the regional transportation system is safe and secure for all users.
Policy 2.1 Control access to the regional roadway system including the concentration of
driveways and side street intersections, with respect to functional
classification. Maintain access management standards that are consistent with
the Dakota County and Metropolitan Council guidelines.
Policy 2.2 Develop a multimodal transportation system in which automobiles, trucks,
rail, transit, bicycles, and pedestrians are adequately served and can safely co-
exist.
Policy 2.3 Support education and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians to promote safe
use of the City’s pedestrian and bicycle trails.
Policy 2.4 Promote design best practices to provide and improve facilities for
pedestrians and bicyclists, who are the most vulnerable users of the
transportation system.
Policy 2.5 Protect and strengthen the role of the regional transportation system to
provide secure and effective emergency response to serious incidents and
threats through transportation improvements, design, and municipal policy.
Policy 2.6 Promote safe pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists in parking lots and
internal traffic circulation areas.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 4
Goal 3. Allow people and businesses to prosper by using a reliable, affordable, and efficient
multimodal transportation system that connects them to destinations throughout the
region and beyond.
Policy 3.1 Focus the transportation system on activity centers within the community
and in neighboring communities.
Policy 3.2 Plan, design and develop a street system in areas where incomplete street
facilities exist that reflects the highest standards and relates land use to
transportation needs and policies.
Policy 3.3 Require appropriate dedication of public right-of-way and restricted access
along roadways based on the functional classification and access guidelines
contained within the Transportation Plan.
Policy 3.4 Support County and State access guidelines that limit access on arterials
based on their functional classification and access guidelines contained within
the Transportation Plan.
Policy 3.5 Utilize Complete Streets principles to meet the travel needs of pedestrians,
bicyclists, and transit users.
Policy 3.6 Facilitate pedestrian and bicycle connections to commercial districts.
Policy 3.7 Connect pedestrian and bicycle trails with major pedestrian generators,
integrate with the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network, and build
continuity across major barriers and between jurisdictions.
Policy 3.8 Review new developments for adequacy of parking based upon need, the
potential for joint use of parking facilities, and through transportation
demand management strategies.
Policy 3.9 Prioritize investments in A-Minor arterials that build, manage, or improve
the system’s ability to supplement the capacity of the principal arterial
system.
Goal 4. Ensure the regional transportation system supports the economic competitiveness, vitality,
and prosperity of the region and State.
Policy 4.1 Develop a process for understanding current and future transportation needs
and for helping guide the City’s transportation investment policies.
Policy 4.2 Invest in transportation improvements that will attract and retain businesses
and workers within Lakeville.
Policy 4.3 Strengthen connections between work and activity centers.
Policy 4.4 Provide and protect efficient connections from major freight facilities to the
regional highway system.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 5
Policy 4.5 Coordinate with regional governments, transit agencies, and rideshare
programs to capture the environmental and social costs of commuting and
incentivize alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle trips.
Goal 5. Confirm the regional transportation system advances equity and contributes to the
community’s livability and sustainability while protecting the natural, cultural, and
developed environments.
Policy 5.1 Ensure that the highway system complements and facilitates local
movements provided by local streets, bicycle trails, and pedestrian facilities.
Policy 5.2 Provide for multi-purpose trails in conjunction with street and highway
improvements. The multi-purpose trails are to provide for a variety of
transportation needs, including pedestrians and bicycles.
Policy 5.3 Require adequate transitions and buffers to mitigate the undesirable impact
of high volume roadways, including but not limited to earth berms, walls,
landscaping and distance.
Policy 5.4 Include appropriate urban design treatments as part of roadway development
to enhance the aesthetic amenities provided within the community.
Policy 5.5 Plan a sustainable transportation system, which functions practically for all
citizens, particularly for historically underrepresented populations, which
promotes community cohesion and active living.
Policy 5.6 Require installation of multi-purpose trails adjacent to all collector and
arterial roads and along streets or within private development where
necessary to provide connections between residential neighborhoods,
community and regional recreation and educational facilities, retail uses, and
other destinations.
Policy 5.7 Mitigate impacts to the natural environment and cultural resources when
planning, constructions and operating transportation systems.
Policy 5.8 Minimize the effect of air quality impacts on the natural environments with
proposed transportation improvements.
Policy 5.9 Identify and improve suitable truck routes while minimizing impacts; such as,
noise and traffic to sensitive land uses.
Policy 5.10 Identify interconnectivity improvements between jurisdictions to disperse
traffic and alleviate travel time for first responders.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 6
Goal 6. Leverage the region’s transportation investments to guide land use and development
patterns that advance the regional vision of stewardship, prosperity, livability, equity, and
sustainability.
Policy 6.1 Plan transportation facilities to function in a manner compatible with
adjacent land uses; in those instances, where the function of a transportation
facility has changed over time and has become incompatible with adjacent
land uses, establish a program to eliminate this incompatibility.
Policy 6.2 Define transit planning areas and commit to development strategies that
support successful transit in these areas.
Policy 6.3 Create appropriate land use that supports transit-oriented development
through station area planning at the five transit stations of the planned
METRO Transit Red Line Transitway extension (OLX) to Lakeville.
Policy 6.4 Plan a mixture of employment and housing uses and densities along existing
and future transit corridors.
Policy 6.5 Encourage interconnection of similar land uses to facilitate local through
traffic flow, maximize dispersion opportunities, and minimize congestion and
safety conflicts.
Policy 6.6 Stage improvements to reflect projected growth needs and land use changes.
Policy 6.7 Develop community partnerships to address the opportunities and challenges
related to creating walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly places.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 7
Roadway System
The roadway network portion of the transportation system in Lakeville is expanding to
accommodate growth and redevelopment. The City of Lakeville has excellent access to the regional
transportation roadway system with routes I-35 and Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) passing through the
City. Industrial areas in the City of Lakeville are located with adequate access to the metropolitan
highway system. This major highway coverage reduces the impact of truck traffic on local roadways
and minimizes the potential for disruption of neighborhoods. This section of the Transportation
Plan will address jurisdictional and functional classification, future traffic volumes, congestion,
safety, future roadway system improvements and key transportation policies.
Jurisdictional Classification
As with all municipalities, jurisdiction over the roadway system within the City of Lakeville is shared
among the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), Dakota County, and the City of
Lakeville. MnDOT maintains the interstate and trunk highway system on behalf of the State of
Minnesota, Dakota County maintains the County State Aid-Highway (CSAH) and County Road
(CR) systems, and the remaining public roadways within the City are owned and maintained by the
City of Lakeville. The three jurisdictions coordinate in the planning and improvement efforts of the
roadway system in Lakeville. The existing jurisdictional classification map is shown in Figure 1.
The jurisdictional classification system is intended to maintain a balance of responsibility among the
three agencies. It is organized around the principle that the highest volume, limited access roadways
that carry regional trips are primarily maintained by MnDOT, the intermediate volume roadways
that carry medium length trips are maintained by Dakota County and the local street system that
provides access to individual properties is maintained by the City. Occasionally, because of
development, changes in traffic patterns or the construction of new facilities, the jurisdictional
classification needs to be adjusted to reflect changes in the way certain roadways are utilized. The
following jurisdictional transfers have been identified:
Potential Transfers from Lakeville to Dakota County:
• 179th Street from Highview Avenue to the east city limit
Potential Transfers from Dakota County to Lakeville:
• CSAH 9 (Dodd Boulevard) from east of Highview Avenue to CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Road)
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 8
Figure 1. Existing Roadway Jurisdictional Classification Map
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 9
Functional Classification
Roadway functional classification categories are defined by the way roadways serve the flow of trips
through the overall roadway system. Within the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the Metropolitan
Council has established detailed criteria for roadway functional classifications, which are presented
in Table 1.
The intent of the functional classification system is to create a hierarchy of roads that collect and
distribute traffic from neighborhoods to the metropolitan highway system. Roadways with a higher
functional classification, such as arterials, generally provide for longer trips, have more mobility,
have limited access, and connect to larger economic and industrial centers. Roadways with a lower
functional classification, such as collectors and local streets, generally provide for shorter trips, have
lower mobility, have more access, and connect to higher functioning roadways. A balance of all
functions of roadways is important for effective operation of the City’s transportation network.
The roadway functional classification is based
on several factors, including:
• Trip characteristics such as length of
route, type and size of activity centers,
and route continuity;
• Access to regional population centers,
activity centers, and major traffic
generators;
• Proportional balance of access, ease of
approaching or entering a location;
• Proportional balance of mobility and
ability to move without restrictions;
• Continuity between travel destinations;
• Relationship with neighboring land uses;
• Eligibility for State and Federal funding.
The existing roadway functional classification within the City of Lakeville is shown in Figure 2.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 10
Table 1. Metropolitan Council Roadway Functional Classifications
Criteria Principal Arterial Minor Arterial and
Other Arterial Collector Local Street
Place
Connections
Connect regional job
concentrations and
freight terminals within
the urban service area.
Provide supplementary
connections between
regional job
concentrations, local
centers, and freight
terminals within the
urban service area.
Connect
neighborhoods and
centers within the
urban service area.
Connect blocks and
land parcels within
neighborhoods and
within commercial
or industrial
developments.
Spacing
Urban communities:
2 to 3 miles.
Suburban communities:
Spacing should vary in
relation to development
density of land uses
served, 2 to 6 miles.
Regional job
concentrations:
1/4 to 3/4 mile.
Urban communities:
1/2 to 1 mile.
Suburban communities:
1 to 2 miles.
Job concentrations:
1/8 to 1/2 mile.
Urban
Communities:
1/4 to 3/4 mile.
Suburban
Communities:
1/2 to 1 mile.
As needed to access
land uses.
System
Connections
To interstate freeways,
other principal arterials,
and select A-Minor
arterials. Connections
between principal
arterials should be of a
design type that does not
require vehicles to stop.
Intersections should be
limited to 1 to 2 miles.
To most interstates,
principal arterials, other
minor arterials, collectors
and some local streets.
To minor arterials,
other collectors, and
local streets.
To a few minor
arterials.
To collectors and
other local streets.
Trip-Making
Service
Trips greater than 8 miles
with at least 5 continuous
miles on principal
arterials. Express and
highway bus rapid transit
trips.
Medium-to-short tips
(2 to 6 miles depending
on development density)
at moderate speeds.
Longer trips accessing
the principal arterial
network. Local, limited-
stop, and arterial bus
rapid transit trips.
Short trips
(1 to 4 miles
depending on
development
density) at low-to-
moderate speeds.
Short trips (under 2
miles) at low speeds,
including bicycle and
pedestrian trips.
Longer trips
accessing the
collector and arterial
network.
Mobility
versus Land
Access
Emphasis is on mobility
for longer trips rather
than direct land access.
Little or no direct land
access within the
urbanized area.
Emphasis on mobility for
longer trips rather than
on direct land access.
Direct land access limited
to concentrations of
activity including
regional job
concentrations, local
centers, freight terminals,
and neighborhoods.
Equal emphasis on
mobility and land
access. Direct land
access
predominantly to
development
concentrations.
Emphasis on land
access, not on
mobility. Direct land
access
predominantly to
residential land uses.
System
Mileage 5-10% 10-15% 5-15% 60-75%
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 11
Table 1. Metropolitan Council Roadway Functional Classifications (continued)
Criteria Principal Arterial Minor Arterial and
Other Arterial Collector Local Street
Percent of Vehicle
Miles Traveled 15-35% 15-25% 10-25% 10-25%
Intersections
Grade separated
desirable where
appropriate.
At a minimum,
high-capacity controlled
at-grade intersections.
Traffic signals,
roundabouts, and
cross-street stops.
Four-way stops and
some traffic signals. As required.
Parking None Restricted as
necessary.
Restricted as
necessary.
Permitted as
necessary.
Large Trucks No restrictions.
Candidates for local
truck network, large
trucks restricted as
necessary.
May be candidates for
local truck network,
large trucks restricted
as necessary.
Permitted as
necessary.
Management
Tools
Ramp metering,
preferential treatment
for transit, access
control, median barriers,
traffic signal
progression, staging of
reconstruction, and
intersection spacing.
Traffic signal
progression and
spacing, land access
management and
control, preferential
treatment for transit.
Number of lanes,
traffic signal timing,
land access
management.
Intersection
control,
cul-de-sacs,
and diverters.
Typical Average
Daily Traffic
Volumes
15,000 to 100,000+ 5,000 to 30,000+ 1,000 to 15,000+ Less than 1,000
Posted Speed
Limit 40 to 65 mph 30 to 45 mph 30 to 40 mph Max. 30 mph
Right-of-Way 100 to 300 feet 60 to 150 feet 60 to 100 feet 50 to 80 feet
Transit
Accommodations
Transit advantages that
provide priority access
and reliable movement
for transit in peak
periods where possible
and needed.
Transit advantages for
reliable movement
where needed.
Regular-route buses,
transit advantages for
reliable movement,
where needed.
Normally used
as bus routes
only in
nonresidential
areas.
Bicycle and
Pedestrian
Accommodations
On facilities that cross or
are parallel to the
principal arterial with
greater emphasis along
transit routes and in
activity centers.
Crossings should be
spaced to allow for
adequate crossing
opportunities.
On facilities that cross
or are parallel to the
minor arterial with
greater emphasis along
transit routes and in
activity centers.
Crossings should be
spaced to allow for
adequate crossing
opportunities.
On, along, or crossing
the collector with
higher emphasis
along transit routes
and in activity
centers. Crossings
should be spaced for
adequate crossing
opportunities.
On, along, or
crossing the
local road.
Source: Metropolitan Council, 2040 Transportation Policy Plan, 2015. This table summarizes characteristics for existing
roadways to be used in evaluating functional classification and should not be used as design guidelines.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 12
Principal Arterials
Principal arterials are part of the metropolitan highway system and provide high-speed mobility
between the Twin Cities and important locations outside the metropolitan area. They are also
intended to connect the central business districts of the Twin Cities along with other regional
business concentrations in the metropolitan area. Principal arterials are generally constructed as
limited access freeways in urban areas and may also be constructed as multiple-lane divided
highways. The City of Lakeville is served by one principal arterial which is I-35. Lakeville also has
two non-freeway principal arterials which are CSAH 23 and CSAH 70.
Minor Arterials and Other Arterials
Minor arterials also emphasize mobility over land access, serving to connect large cities with adjacent
communities and the metropolitan highway system. Major business concentrations and other
important traffic generators are usually located on minor arterial roadways. In urban areas, one- to
two-mile spacing of minor arterials is considered appropriate, and most locations within the City of
Lakeville are within one mile of a minor arterial.
A-Minor arterials are defined by the Metropolitan Council as roadways of regional importance as
they serve to relieve, expand or complement the principal arterial system. Consistent with
Metropolitan Council guidelines, A-Minor arterials are categorized into four types and are described
in further detail below:
• Relievers – Roadways that provide direct relief for metropolitan highway traffic;
• Expanders – Roadways that provide a way to make connections between urban areas outside
the I-494/I-694 beltway.
• Connectors – Roadways that provide safe connections to communities at the edge of the
urbanized area and in rural areas.
• Augmenters – Roadways that enhance principal arterials within the I-494/I-694 beltway.
“Other arterials” provide a citywide function, serving medium to long distance trips. The City of
Lakeville is also served by “Other Arterials.”
A well-planned and adequately designed system of principal and minor arterials will allow the City of
Lakeville’s overall roadway network to function properly and discourage through traffic from
travelling on residential streets. Volumes on principal and minor arterial roadways are expected to be
greater than volumes on collector or local roadways. Minor arterials in Lakeville are presented in
Figure 2.
Collectors
Collectors are designed to serve shorter trips that occur within the City and to provide access from
neighborhoods to other collector roadways and the arterial system. They are expected to carry less
traffic than arterial roads and to provide access to some properties. Roadway segments designated as
major collectors in the City of Lakeville are included in Figure 2. Characteristics between Minor and
Major Collectors can be found in Table 2.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 13
Table 2. Characteristics of Minor and Major Collectors
Criteria Minor Collector Major Collector
Length Short, less than 1.5 miles. Longer, 1.5 miles to three
miles.
Travel Shed Limited to immediate
neighborhood.
Larger area links more than
one neighborhood.
Speeds Low speed (30-35 MPH) Medium speed (35-45 MPH)
Access Private access permissible
Private access discouraged.
Generally, access is provided
to higher trip generators
Parking (e.g., shopping centers, office
buildings.)
Some restrictions depending
on traffic volumes.
Land Use Usually allowed Some restrictions depending
on traffic volumes.
Mobility Typically serves residential
areas.
Residential, commercial or
high employment
concentrations.
Transit Less emphasis on mobility and
greater value on access.
More balance between
mobility and access.
Spacing
May accommodate fixed route
transit but less likely to be used
as a route.
Should be designed to
accommodate fixed route
transit.
Local Streets
Local streets provide access to adjacent properties and neighborhoods. Local streets are generally
low speed and designed to discourage through traffic. All the remaining roadways in the City that
were not listed under the previous functional classifications fall under the local street designation.
Functional Classification Changes
The future functional classification within the roadway system is important for determining access
and long-term land use. Occasionally, due to growth and development, changes in travel patterns or
construction of new facilities, the functional classification needs to be adjusted to reflect changes in
the way certain roadways are utilized. Future functional classification transfers as indicated in the
Dakota County 2040 Transportation Plan within the City of Lakeville are listed below:
• Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) – Northern city limit to southern city limit; change to a Principal
Arterial; result of the Dakota County Principal Arterial Study
• CSAH 70 – Western city limit to eastern city limit; change to a Principal Arterial; result of
the Dakota County Principal Arterial Study
Any changes to functional class must be approved by the Transportation Advisory Board prior
to construction.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 14
Figure 2. Existing and Future Roadway Functional Classification Map
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 15
Planned and Programmed Improvements
There are various roadway projects within the City of Lakeville that are currently under construction,
programmed for completion within the next few years, or proceeding through the planning process.
Table 3 and Figure 3 identify the programmed roadway improvements within Lakeville as identified
in the MnDOT Metro District 10-Year Capital Highway Investment Plan (2018-2027), Metropolitan
Council’s 2040 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP), 2018-2022 Dakota County Capital Improvement
Program, and 2018 City of Lakeville Capital Improvement Program. These planned or programmed
roadway improvements are considered part of the future roadway system as they will likely be
implemented within the 2040 planning horizon.
Table 3. List of Planned and Programmed Improvements
Roadway Extents Project Type Jurisdiction
210th and 215th St
(CSAH 70)
East of Kensington Blvd to
Cedar Ave (CSAH 23)
2-lane undivided to
4-lane divided
Dakota
County2
202nd St
(CSAH 50)
Holyoke Ave to Cedar Ave
(CSAH 23)
2-lane undivided to
2-lane divided
Dakota
County2
179th St
0.5 mi west of Pilot Knob Rd
(CSAH 31) to Pilot Knob Rd
(CSAH 31)
Non-existing to 2-lane
divided
Lakeville1
(Future
Turnback)
Hamburg Ave Lakeville Blvd to 202nd St
(CSAH 50)
2-lane undivided rural to
2-lane undivided urban Lakeville1
Kenrick Ave
(CSAH 5)
0.13 mi west of Kensington
Blvd to Kenrick Ave
(CSAH 5)
Non-existing to 2-lane
undivided urban Lakeville1
Kenyon Ave 0.25 mi south of 162nd St to
162nd St
2-lane undivided rural to
2-lane undivided urban Lakeville1
Diamond Path
(CR 33)
160th St (CSAH 46) to 179th
St – (Future Alignment) Future Extension Dakota
County2
179th St
Dodd Blvd (CSAH 9) to
Diamond Path (CR 33) –
(Future Alignment)
Future
Extension/Realignment
Lakeville1
(Future
Turnback)
185th St
(CSAH 60)
Dodd Blvd (CSAH 9) to 200th
St (CR 64) in Farmington Extension Dakota
County2
215th St
(CSAH 70)
Cedar Ave (CSAH 23) to
TH 3 in Farmington Extension Dakota
County2
Dodd Blvd
(CSAH 9) Dodd Lane to Franchise Way Reconstruction Dakota
County
210th St Kensington Blvd to
Holyoke Ave Widening/Reconstruction Dakota
County2
Sources: 1 2018 City of Lakeville Capital Improvement Program.
2 2018-2022 Dakota County Capital Improvement Program, Dakota County Sale and Use Tax CIP and 2018
Dakota County Transportation Plan
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 16
Table 3. List of Planned and Programmed Improvements (continued)
Intersection Project Type Jurisdiction
202nd Street/CSAH 50 (Holyoke Avenue to
Cedar Avenue/CSAH 23)
Roundabout at Holyoke
Avenue and Signal at
Cedar Avenue
Lakeville and
Dakota County
162nd Street and Kenyon Avenue/Buck Hill
Road Traffic Signal Lakeville and
Dakota County
160th Street and Pilot Knob Road Advanced Traffic
Management System
Lakeville and
Dakota County
Dodd Boulevard and Heritage Drive/Icenic
Trail ¾ Intersection Lakeville and
Dakota County
Dodd Boulevard/CSAH 9 and Flagstaff
Avenue Roundabout Lakeville and
Dakota County
Dodd Boulevard/CSAH 9 and Glacier Way Traffic Signal Lakeville and
Dakota County
Ipava Avenue and 165th Street Traffic Signal Lakeville
Coordination with Other Jurisdictions
The City of Lakeville will continue to coordinate with adjacent jurisdictions, such as the
communities of Apple Valley, Burnsville, Credit River Township, Eureka Township, Farmington,
Empire Township, New Market, and Rosemount, as well as Dakota County and MnDOT when
planning future transportation improvements. Coordination among jurisdictions provides
opportunities for collaboration that benefit all agencies, City residents, and the general public.
Additionally, effective coordination may result in financial and time savings through economies of
scale, and potentially reducing construction impacts to residents. The City already partakes in the
I-35W Solutions Alliance, established in 1989, which includes communities along I-35W as well as
Dakota County, Hennepin County and Scott County and the regional transportation agencies. These
agencies work together to set priorities and be involved in planning and implementation of
transportation projects.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 17
Figure 3. Planned and Programmed Improvements Map
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 18
2040 Travel Demand Forecasts
The pattern and intensity of travel within any City is directly related to the distribution and
magnitude of households, population and employment within that community, in neighboring
communities and in the region.
Land use, travel patterns, population and employment change over time and affect the efficiency and
adequacy of the transportation network. Expected changes in the City’s land use pattern,
households, population and employment will be the basis for estimating future travel demand within
the City of Lakeville.
Land Use
The City of Lakeville has a community designation of suburban edge located within the
Metropolitan Council’s urban service area. Existing land use within the City of Lakeville is shown in
Community Background Chapter of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
As the metropolitan area moves forward with a greater focus on multimodal transportation, new
development and redevelopment in Lakeville will be constrained by the existing and future
transportation system. The Transportation Plan is designed to assist the City in developing a
transportation system that supports land use and provides safe and efficient movement of people
and goods throughout the City.
Socioeconomic Data
The Metropolitan Council prepared estimates for the overall regional growth in terms of population,
households, and employment for the years 2020, 2030, and 2040, allocating an appropriate portion
to each municipality. Historic and estimated future population, households, and employment levels
for the City of Lakeville are shown in Table 4.
Table 4. Summary of Socioeconomic Data for Lakeville
Year Population Households Employment
2010 55,954 18,683 13,862
2020 64,300 22,300 18,200
2030 74,600 26,300 20,300
2040 83,500 30,000 22,500
Source: Metropolitan Council, 2017.
The City of Lakeville, with the assistance of the Metropolitan Council, has estimated existing and
future population, households, and employment levels for sub-areas within the City known as
Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs). This information was required to complete the traffic forecasting
procedures used to estimate future roadway traffic volumes.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 19
Forecast 2040 Traffic Volumes
Estimated 2040 traffic forecasts for the City of Lakeville were prepared using the future population,
households, and employment data outlined above. These forecasts are an essential analytical tool to
determine the adequacy of the roadway system to handle future development, as anticipated by the
City of Lakeville and the Metropolitan Council. In addition to the planned and programmed
roadway projects identified in Figure 3, the traffic forecast model accounts for future planned
improvements that are in the Metropolitan Council’s 2040 TPP for regional highways outside
Lakeville. The existing traffic volumes are shown in Figure 4 and results of the 2040 traffic forecasts
are shown in Figure 5.
Existing and Anticipated Capacity Deficiencies
Congestion on the roadway system is judged to exist when the ratio of traffic volume to roadway
capacity, or v/c ratio, approaches or exceeds 1.00. The v/c ratio provides a measurement of
congestion along a particular stretch of roadway and can help determine where roadway
improvements, access management, transit services, or travel demand management strategies could
be implemented. It does not, however, provide a basis for determining specific intersection
improvements.
Level of Service
Level of Service (LOS), as related to highways and local roadways, categorizes the different
operating conditions that occur on a lane or roadway when accommodating various traffic volumes.
It is a qualitative measure of the effect of traffic flow factors such as speed and travel time,
interruption, ability to maneuver, driver comfort and convenience, and is an indirect measure of
safety and operating costs. LOS is expressed as levels “A” through “F,” with level “A” being a
condition of free traffic flow with little or no restriction in speed or maneuverability caused by the
presence of other vehicles, and level “F” being a forced-flow condition at low speed with many
stoppages resulting in the roadway acting as a storage area. Further definition of LOS is described in
Table 5.
The following section further describes LOS and the correlation between LOS and planning-level
roadway capacities, which provides a better understanding of the operations and capacity levels on
existing roadways within the City of Lakeville. A method to evaluate roadway capacity for non-
freeway and non-regional highways is described in Table 6.
For each facility type, the planning-level annual average daily traffic (AADT) capacity ranges and
maximum AADT volume ranges are indicated. These volume ranges are based on guidance from
the Transportation Research Board’s Highway Capacity Manual, direction from the Metropolitan
Council, and professional engineering judgment. Capacity ranges are used since the maximum
capacity of any roadway design is a theoretical measure that can be affected by its functional
classification, traffic peaking characteristics, access spacing, design speed, and other roadway
characteristics.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 20
Figure 4. Existing (2018) Traffic Volumes
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 21
Figure 5. Future (2040) Forecast Traffic Volumes
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 22
Table 5. Level of Service Definitions
Level of
Service
(LOS)
Traffic Flow Vehicle/Capacity
Ratio Description
A Free Flow
Below Capacity 0.20 Low volumes and no delays.
B Stable Flow
Below Capacity 0.40 Low volumes and speed dictated by
travel conditions.
C Stable Flow
Below Capacity 0.60 Speeds and maneuverability closely
controlled due to higher volumes.
D Restricted Flow
Near Capacity 0.85
Higher density traffic restricts
maneuverability and volumes
approaching capacity.
E
Unstable Flow
Approaching
Capacity
1.00
Low speeds, considerable delays,
and volumes at or slightly over
capacity.
F Forced Flow
Over Capacity >1.00
Very low speeds, volumes exceed
capacity, and long delays with stop-
and-go traffic.
Source: Highway Capacity Manual; SRF Consulting Group, Inc.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 23
Table 6. Planning-Level Roadway Capacities by Facility Type
Facility
Type
Planning-
Level Daily
Capacity
Ranges
(AADT)
Under Capacity Approaching
Capacity
Over
Capacity
LOS A B C D E F
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.85 1.0 >1.0
Two-lane
undivided
urban
8,000 –
10,000 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,500 10,000 > 10,000
Two-lane
undivided
rural
14,000 –
15,000 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,750 15,000 > 15,000
Two-lane
divided
urban
(Turn-Lane)
14,000 –
17,000 3,400 6,800 10,200 14,450 17,000 > 17,000
Four-lane
undivided
urban
18,000 –
22,000 4,400 8,800 13,200 18,700 22,000 > 22,000
Four-lane
undivided
rural
24,000 –
28,000 5,600 11,200 16,800 23,800 28,000 > 28,000
Four-lane
divided
urban
(Five-lane)
28,000 –
32,000 6,400 12,800 19,200 27,200 32,000 > 32,000
Four-lane
divided
rural
35,000 –
38,000 7,600 15,200 22,800 32,300 38,000 > 38,000
Four-lane
expressway
rural
45,000 9,000 18,000 27,000 38,250 45,000 > 45,000
Four-lane
freeway
60,000 –
80,000 16,000 32,000 48,000 68,000 80,000 > 80,000
Six-lane
freeway
90,000 –
120,000 24,000 48,000 72,000 102,000 120,000 > 120,000
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 24
Existing Capacity Deficiencies
By utilizing the methodology described above, existing capacity deficiencies were identified by
comparing existing AADT volumes to the thresholds in Table 6 to identify and illustrate roadways
that currently exhibit capacity deficiencies. The existing traffic volumes shown in Figure 4 and
number of lanes shown in Figure 6 were used to develop the existing capacity deficiencies shown in
Figure 7. As noted in Figure 7, the congested roadway segments are defined as those with a v/c ratio
at or above 1.00, which signifies that a segment of roadway has observed volumes which exceed its
design capacity, as identified in Table 7. In addition, Figure 7 and Table 8 also identify those
segments of roadways that are approaching capacity with v/c ratio between 0.85 and 1.00.
Table 7. Existing Roadways Over Capacity (V/C ≥ 1.00)
Roadway V/C Extents Jurisdiction
162nd Street 1.14 I-35 Ramp Kenrick Avenue Dakota County
185th Street 1.08 Kenwood Trail Jasper Path Lakeville
I-35 1.04 162nd Street Kenwood Trail MnDOT
I-35 1.03 Kenwood Trail 185th Street MnDOT
215th Street 1.01 Juniper Way Dodd Blvd Lakeville
Table 8. Existing Roadways Approaching Capacity (0.85 ≤ V/C < 1.00)
Roadway V/C Extents Jurisdiction
Dodd Boulevard 1.00 202nd Street Kenwood Trail Dakota County
Pilot Knob Road 0.99 160th Street 162nd Street Dakota County
160th Street 0.91 Glacier Avenue Granada Avenue Lakeville
160th Street 0.88 Glacier Avenue Cedar Avenue Lakeville
Cedar Avenue 0.88 164th Street 167th Street Dakota County
Lakeville Boulevard 0.87 Cedar Avenue Gateway Drive Dakota County
160th Street 0.86 Excel Way Pilot Knob Road Lakeville
The methodology described above is a planning-level analysis that uses average daily traffic volumes
and is not appropriate for all traffic conditions. For example, traffic conditions that do not fit the
average daily traffic criteria such as weekend travel, holiday travel, and special events, are likely to
produce different levels of congestion. Additionally, factors such as the amount of access and
roadway geometrics may influence capacity. Figure 6 shows existing roadway characteristics for
roadways within Lakeville. These roadways are classified based on their number of lanes, whether or
not they are divided by a median, and if they are urban or rural in character. For example, a three-
lane divided urban roadway would be urban in nature and have one through lane in each direction
with a turning lane separated from oncoming traffic by a median.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 25
Figure 6. Existing Roadway Characteristics
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 26
Figure 7. Future Roadway Characteristics
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 27
Figure 8. Existing (2018) Capacity Deficiencies
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 28
Congestion on the Regional Highway System
MnDOT defines congestion on freeway or highway facilities as traffic travelling at speeds less than
or equal to 45 miles per hour (mph). Segments along northbound I-35 have been reported to be
congested during the morning peak periods, with the highest levels of morning peak hour
congestion occur along I-35 near its intersection with 185th Street (CSAH 60). MnDOT has reported
no current or recurring congestion during the afternoon peak period on freeway or highway
segments in the City of Lakeville.1
Future Capacity Deficiencies
A planning-level analysis was performed on the existing roadway system to identify locations where
capacity problems are expected to occur by the planning horizon year. Demand was estimated using
the 2040 traffic forecasts shown in Figure 5. Capacity was based upon the existing and proposed
roadway geometrics and included the programmed roadway system improvements shown in Figure
3. Figure 6 identifies the number of lanes that were assumed for the 2040 roadway system. A similar
volume to capacity analysis was conducted for the forecast 2040 conditions. Using this
methodology, Table 9, Table 10, and Figure 9 illustrate the City of Lakeville’s anticipated future
capacity problem areas.
1 MnDOT Metropolitan Freeway System Congestion Report, 2016.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 29
Table 9. Future Roadways Over Capacity (V/C ≥ 1.00)
Roadway V/C Extents Jurisdiction
185th Street 2.40 Kenwood Trail Jasper Way Dakota County
Dodd Boulevard 1.90 213th Street 215th Street Dakota County
185th Street 1.71 Joplin Avenue Kenwood Trail Dakota County
Dodd Boulevard 1.69 Elm Creek Lane Pilot Knob Road Dakota County
Kenwood Trail 1.59 185th Street 188th Street Dakota County
Kenwood Trail 1.44 Jaguar Path 185th Street Dakota County
162nd Street 1.31 I-35 Ramp Kenrick Avenue Dakota County
Pilot Knob Road 1.28 160th Street 162nd Street Dakota County
170th Street 1.26 Pilot Knob
Road Embers Avenue Lakeville
Lakeville
Boulevard 1.24 Cedar Avenue Gateway Drive Dakota County
Cedar Avenue 1.22 160th Street 161st Street Dakota County
Pilot Knob Road 1.22 170th Street South City Boundary Dakota County
I-35 1.18 162nd Street Kenwood Trail MnDOT
I-35 1.16 Kenwood Trail 185th Street MnDOT
160th Street 1.09 Pilot Knob
Road Elmhurst Lane Dakota County
Cedar Avenue 1.09 164th Street 167th Street Dakota County
162nd Street 1.09 Itasca Trail Ipava Avenue Dakota County
Cedar Avenue 1.09 Glacier Way Dodd Boulevard Dakota County
160th Street 1.06 Cedar Avenue Glacier Avenue Dakota County
160th Street 1.06 Excel Way Pilot Knob Road Dakota County
162nd Street 1.06 Ipava Avenue Interlachen
Boulevard Dakota County
Cedar Avenue 1.03 Dodd
Boulevard 179th Street Dakota County
160th Street 1.03 Granada
Avenue Cedar Avenue Dakota County
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 30
Table 10. Future Roadways Approaching Capacity (0.85 ≤ V/C < 1.00)
Roadway V/C Extents Jurisdiction
Kenrick Avenue 0.99 Kenrick Loop 165th Street Lakeville
I-35 0.98 185th Street 210th Street MnDOT
185th Street 0.97 Kenrick Avenue I-35 Dakota County
Kenwood Trail 0.94 Kenwood Trail Ramp 175th Street Dakota County
210th Street 0.91 I-35 Kenrick Avenue Lakeville
179th Street 0.88 Flagstaff Avenue Pilot Knob Road Lakeville
215th Street 0.88 Grenada Avenue Cedar Avenue Dakota County
Holyoke Avenue 0.87 202nd Street 205th Street Lakeville
170th Street 0.86 Flagstaff Avenue Firestone Path Lakeville
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 31
Figure 9. Future Forecasted (2040) Capacity Deficiencies
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 32
Roadway Safety
A central concern of transportation professionals is roadway safety. To assist in the evaluation of
crashes, MnDOT maintains a database of reported crash records from around the State of
Minnesota. These records identify the location, severity and circumstances associated with each
crash. As shown in Table 11, this dataset was reviewed to identify the number, location and severity
of crashes in the City of Lakeville for the years 2011- 2015. Overall, there were 2,349 crashes, of
which 6 involved fatalities, 718 involved personal injury and 1,625 involved property damage.
Table 11. Motor Vehicle Crashes in Lakeville 2011 to 2015
Year
Number of Crashes
Fatal
Personal Injury Crashes
Property
Damage
Total
Crashes
Type A
Incapacitating
Injury
Type B Non-
Incapacitating
Injury
Type C
Possible
Injury
2011 1 9 38 59 110 217
2012 1 4 39 53 121 218
2013 3 8 47 113 420 591
2014 0 10 50 110 465 635
2015 1 9 36 133 509 688
Totals 6 40 210 468 1,625 2,349
These crashes were generally distributed throughout the City with most locations accounting for
only one or two incidents, suggesting that a crash at that location was a random event. However,
some of these crashes were concentrated at a limited number of locations. The 10 intersection
locations with the highest frequency of crashes between 2011 and 2015 are listed in Table 12 and
illustrated in Figure 10. These intersections were also evaluated for the critical index using
MnDOT’s crash rate methodology, also indicated in Table 12. Following MnDOT guidelines, a
critical index of 1.00 or less indicates performance within statewide trends, and a critical index above
1.00 indicates that the intersection operates outside the normally expected range.
Critical Index
The critical index is the ratio of the observed crash rate to the critical crash rate. Critical indexes
above 1.00 indicate there is likely an existing safety concern at the intersection. Additional analysis
and observation of the intersection should be completed to determine the cause of the high critical
index. Based on this conclusion, further investigation is recommended at the crash locations with a
critical index above 1.00 as identified in Table 12 to determine the types of crashes occurring and
identify mitigation approaches to increase safety. A severity index is equal to the total equivalent
property damage divided by the number of crashes. The total equivalent property damage is
measurement that accounts for both property damage and personal injury.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 33
Table 12. Top 10 Intersection Crash Locations in Lakeville (2011-2015)
Intersection Severity Traffic Control Critical
Index
Severity
Index Fatal Type A Type B Type C Property Damage
1. 185th St (CSAH 60) at
Kenwood Tr (CSAH 50) 0 2 1 19 74 Signal1 2.71 1.62
2. Cedar Ave (CSAH 23) at
160th St (CSAH 46) 0 1 2 26 57 Signal 0.87 0.40
3. Pilot Knob Rd (CSAH 31) at
160th St (CSAH 46) 0 0 3 9 64 Signal 1.25 0.00
4. 162nd St (CSAH 46) at
Kenrick Ave 0 0 5 4 32 Signal 0.58 0.00
5. 160th St (CSAH 46) at
Galaxie Ave 1 1 2 8 23 Signal 0.97 1.61
6. Pilot Knob Rd (CSAH 31) at
170th St 0 0 5 10 19 Signal 1.05 0.00
7. Dodd Blvd (CSAH 9) at
Highview Ave 0 0 3 3 28 Roundabout2 1.62 0.00
8. 160th St (CSAH 46) at
Flagstaff Ave 0 0 3 9 16 Signal 0.79 0.00
9. Dodd Blvd (CSAH 9) at
Cedar Ave (CSAH 23) 0 0 0 9 17 Signal3 0.71 0.00
10. Cedar Ave (CSAH 23) at
Lakeville Blvd (CSAH 50) 0 0 2 2 21 Signal 0.88 0.00
1 A roundabout has been constructed at this intersection after the data collection period.
2A roundabout was constructed in 2013 which his during the study period.
3 Future ¾ Intersection
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 34
Figure 10. Recent Crash Data in Lakeville (2011 to 2015)
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 35
Recommended Roadway System Improvements
Future roadway improvements designed to address system connectivity, continuity, congestion and
safety issues are planned and recommended for the roadway system in Lakeville. Recommended
roadway improvements are shown in Figure 11 and are derived from the combination of system
needs and the intended function of each roadway as it relates to the adjacent supporting land use. It
should be noted that improvements discussed in this section do not include spot intersection
improvements or trails.
The determination of which projects will be built, and their proper sequencing, will be determined
through each jurisdictions programming process that considers the estimated cost of each project,
available financing and coordination with other projects.
Table 13. Recommended Improvements
Roadway Extents Project Type Jurisdiction
170th St Pilot Knob Rd (CSAH 31) to
Embers Ave
Improve to 2-Lane Divided
Roadway with left-turn lane City
162nd St/Isleton
St/160th St (CSAH 46) Kendale Dr to east City limits Improve to 6-Lane Divided
Roadway County
Cedar Ave (CSAH 23) 160th St (CSAH 46) to 179th St Improve to 6-Lane Divided
Roadway County
Pilot Knob Rd
(CSAH 31) 160th St (CSAH 46) to
south City limits
Improve to 6-Lane Divided
Roadway County
Dodd Blvd (CSAH 9) Elm Creek Ln to Eagleview Dr Improve to 4-Lane Divided
Roadway County
Kenwood Tr
(CSAH 50) Jaguar Path to 188th St Improve to 4-Lane Divided
Roadway County
185th St (CSAH 60) Orchard Tr to Jasper Path Improve to 4-Lane Divided
Roadway County
Dodd Blvd (CSAH 9)
Kenwood Tr (CSAH 50) to
202nd St
Improve to 4-Lane Divided
Roadway County
Juniper Wy/215th St
(CSAH 70) East of Kensington Blvd to
Holyoke Ave
Improve to
4-Lane Divided Roadway County
Lakeville Blvd
(CSAH 50) Cedar Ave (CSAH 23) to east
City limits
Improve to 4-Lane Divided
Roadway County
Dodd Blvd (CSAH 9) 210th St to 215th St (CSAH 70) Improve to 2-Lane Divided
Roadway with left-turn lane County
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 36
215th St (CSAH 70) Holyoke Ave to Cedar Ave
(CSAH 23)
Improve to 2-Lane Divided
Roadway with left-turn lane County
215th St (CSAH 70) Cedar Ave (CSAH 23)
to east city limits Extension County
I-35 170th St to Kerrville Tr Improve to 6-Lane Divided
Roadway MnDOT
Right-of-Way Preservation
Right-of-way (ROW) is a valuable public asset that needs to be protected and managed in a way that
respects the intended function of the adjacent roadway, while serving the best interest of the public.
The City of Lakeville will need to reconstruct, widen, and construct new roadway segments to meet
future capacity and connectivity demands due to the City’s current and planned growth. Such
improvements will require adequate ROW be maintained or secured. The City will coordinate with
MnDOT and Dakota County for ROW acquisition along County or State routes.
All planned and programmed improvements (Table 3) and recommended roadway improvements
(Table 14) will follow the minimum right-of-way requirements outlined below in Table 14.
Table 14. Minimum Right-of-way Requirements for City Roadways
Functional
Classification
Right-of-way
Without Sidewalks
Right-of-way
With Sidewalks
High Density Minor
Arterial 120 feet 150 feet
Low Density Minor
Arterial 100 feet 120 feet
Major Collector 100 feet 120 feet
Minor Collector 66 feet 80 feet
Local Residential 60 feet 66 feet
Local Commercial /
Industrial 80 feet 80 feet1
1Increase to 100 feet at intersections with multiple turn lanes.
Access Management
Access management is an important aspect of providing a safe and efficient roadway network.
Control of access to roadways, both in terms of cross-street spacing and driveway placement, is a
critical means of preserving or enhancing the efficient operation of the roadway system and
improving safety by reducing crash exposure. Access control guidelines are used to preserve the
public investment in the roadway system and to give direction to developers for plan preparation.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 37
The guidelines are intended to balance the public interest in mobility with the property owners
interest in access. Access refers to providing roadway access to properties and is needed at both
ends of a trip. Mobility is the ability to get from one place to another freely or easily. Most roadways
serve both functions to some degree based on their functional classification. Effective control of
driveway access on the entire roadway system requires the cooperation of City, County, and State
officials.
MnDOT has developed a policy on access management and guidelines for access spacing.
MnDOT’s Highway Access Category System and Spacing Guidelines can be found at:
https://www.dot.state.mn.us/accessmanagement/resources.html
Access to Principal Arterials
The City of Lakeville should follow MnDOT guidelines for access to principal arterials. These
guidelines recommend limiting cross-street access to one-half mile spacing within urbanized areas,
with one- to two-mile spacing being optimal. No new driveway access is permitted to principal
arterials.
Access to Minor Arterials
The City of Lakeville strives to meet Dakota County guidelines for access to the minor arterial
system. These guidelines generally call for one-quarter mile spacing of all access points such as cross
streets and driveways, however, the City of Lakeville prefers a one-half mile spacing for access
points.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 38
Figure 11. Recommended Roadway System Improvements
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 39
Driveway Access on City Streets (Collectors and Local Roads)
Driveways contribute to crashes and reduced traffic flow on major streets in local communities as
they add to the number of locations where vehicle conflicts can occur. Therefore, it is desirable to
have guidelines in place that:
• Limit the number of driveways to those that are needed to safely accommodate the traffic
generated by each development;
• Provide adequate spacing between driveways so conflicts and resulting crashes between
vehicles maneuvering at adjacent driveways are avoided;
• Ensure proper design to accommodate driveway traffic and minimize vehicle conflicts without
significantly reducing roadway capacity.
Occasionally topographic features of an individual site or the needs of a unique land use may require
special access features in a proposed development. The City of Lakeville may wish to withhold
approval of such developments or site changes until a study has been made of the potential impacts
on the affected roadways and the adequacy of the proposed access design determined. The City may
require that the following steps be included in the traffic study for the site:
• Estimate site traffic generation and future non-site traffic;
• Determine directional distribution of trips;
• Estimate turning movements at driveway and the resulting level of service;
• Analyze current and future access requirements;
• Provide necessary geometric and operational improvements to safely accommodate access
requirements without negative impacts to traffic operation on the adjoining roadways.
The City of Lakeville will continue to support MnDOT and Dakota County’s access management
guidelines on the principal and minor arterial roadway network in the City through the measures
listed above.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 40
Traffic Management Strategies
Traffic Signals
A well-coordinated traffic signal system will promote the efficient flow of traffic along roadways in
the City of Lakeville, as this type of system reduces the likelihood of through traffic diverting to
local streets. The City will work with Dakota County to periodically monitor the progression of
traffic signals on key County roadways to ensure efficient system operation.
Operational refinement of the signal system will take place on an ongoing basis. New traffic signals
will be built at intersections where specific signal warrants are achieved, and funding is available.
Intersection improvements will be considered on a site-by-site basis and will be constructed
consistently with the warrants identified in the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD) when funding is available. Warrants include specific thresholds relating to traffic
volumes and considerations of safety and pedestrian activity.
Stop Signs
The City of Lakeville receives numerous requests for the installation of stop signs to manage speed
and other perceived traffic safety problems in residential neighborhoods. City Engineers will
evaluate each stop sign request by either applying the City’s best management practices for local or
minor streets in residential areas or by utilizing MnDOT’s uniform traffic warrant criteria for all
other stop sign requests.
Traffic Calming
The primary function of minor collector and local streets is to provide access to residences and
other uses along the roadway. However, these streets may also provide routes for traveling to and
from or passing through a neighborhood. Conflicts arise between these latter functions when
residents become concerned about traffic volumes, speeds and pedestrian safety.
Traffic calming generally refers to strategic physical changes made to streets to reduce vehicle speeds
increase driver awareness, discourage through traffic on residential streets, and decrease the
automobile’s visual dominance in a neighborhood setting. There are several activities that may be
referred to as traffic calming, examples of which include raised intersections and crosswalks,
roundabouts, curvilinear streets, street narrowing, bumpouts, pavement markings and signage,
pedestrian crossing islands, pedestrian treatments, and streetscaping. These traffic calming
treatments are considered for low volume local and minor collector streets where excessive speeds
pose a safety problem. The City of Lakeville will consider requests for traffic calming devices on a
case-by-case basis consistent with the City’s adopted neighborhood traffic calming program.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 41
Transit System Plan
Roadways alone cannot address the transportation needs within Lakeville. Other transportation
systems, such as transit and trails, are required to serve the varied needs of a metro community.
Transit is an essential element in the overall transportation network as it:
• Provides vulnerable populations access to services in the area, including senior citizens,
those who cannot afford a personal vehicle, and people who cannot drive;
• Provides opportunities for people who prefer an alternative to automobile travel;
• Removes a portion of existing and future automobile traffic from the roadway, reducing
travel time and congestion for everyone on the roadway and reduces environmental
impacts;
• Builds resilience and strengthens economic competitiveness should reliance on private
vehicles prove difficult for residents and employees in Lakeville.
This section identifies the existing services, facilities, and programs within the City of Lakeville,
suggests improvements, and discusses the City’s role in supporting the transit system.
Transit Market Areas
The City of Lakeville has experienced rapid growth in the past few decades. In the Metropolitan
Council’s Transportation Policy Plan (2015), transit market areas indicate levels of transit service
expected and appropriate based on factors like population density, automobile availability,
employment density, and intersection density.
There are two primary transit market areas in Lakeville: III and IV. Service included in Transit
Market Area III includes peak-only express, small vehicle circulators, special needs paratransit
(ADA, seniors), and ridesharing. Service options for Transit Market Area IV include peak period
express service and public dial-a-ride services. Transit Market Area V serves a small portion of
Lakeville’s southwest corner but does not serve major residential or commercial areas.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 42
Table 15. Transit Market Service Areas
Market
Area
Propensity to
Use Transit
Service
Characteristics Typical Transit Service Presence in
Lakeville
I
Highest
potential for
transit
ridership.
Frequency: 15-30
min. most modes. Dense network of local routes
with highest levels of service
accommodating a wide variety
of trip purposes. Limited stop
service supplements local
routes where appropriate.
None Span: Early to late,
seven days a week.
Access: Half mile
between routes.
II
Approximately
half
ridership
potential of
Market Area I.
Frequency: 15-60
min. most modes. Similar network structure to
Market Area I with reduced
level of service as demand
warrants. Limited stop services
are appropriate to connect
major destinations.
None. Just north of
Lakeville, Apple
Valley transit
station shown as
Emerging Market II.
Span: Morning to
night, seven days a
week.
Access: One mile
between routes.
III
Approximately
half
ridership
potential of
Market Area II.
Frequency: 15-60
min. most modes. Primary emphasis is on
commuter express bus service.
Suburban local routes
providing basic coverage.
General public dial-a-ride
complements fixed route in
some cases.
A large swath of the
City including the
NE, most of Cedar
Ave, and stretching
to Kenrick Park and
Ride along 175th St.
Span: Peak times,
occasional
weekends.
Access: Varies on
development
patterns.
IV
Approximately
half
ridership
potential of
Market
Area III.
Frequency: Three
trips per peak
express bus. Peak period express service is
appropriate as local demand
warrants. General public dial-a-
ride services are appropriate.
The undeveloped
area near Lakeville
Cedar Park and
Ride, the SW section
of the City, and all
areas west of I-35.
Span: Peak times
Access: Usually at
large nodes.
V
Lowest
potential for
transit
ridership.
Frequency: 30
minutes,
Commuter Rail.
Not well-suited for fixed-route
service. Primary emphasis is on
general public dial-a-ride
services.
None
Span: N/A
Access: N/A
Emerging
Market
Overlay
Varies,
typically
matches
surrounding
Market Area.
Varies Varies. Typically matches
surrounding Market Area. None
Source: Metropolitan Council, 2040 Transportation Policy Plan, 2015.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 43
Existing System Inventory
In the Twin Cities metropolitan area regional transit services and facilities are provided primarily
within an area called the regional transit taxing district. A regional transit tax is assessed to properties
within this district that is then used for capital improvements to the regional system. In May 2008,
the City of Lakeville agreed to inclusion in the taxing district with the understanding that the
Metropolitan Council would support the expansion of transit service and construction of transit
facilities that would benefit the City’s residents.
Lakeville is currently served by Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) and Metro Transit with
express bus service, and one demand-response service provider. There are three express bus routes
that serve Lakeville. Express Route 467, operated by Metro Transit, serves Kenrick Park and Ride
on I-35 and connects to downtown Minneapolis. Express Route 477, operated by MVTA, connects
Lakeville Cedar Park and Ride to downtown Minneapolis. There are four trips heading north in the
morning and south in the evening that start and end at Lakeville Cedar, and more trips that start and
end at other locations further north. Express Route 479, operated by MVTA does not enter
Lakeville but runs along 160th and serves a park and ride on Pilot Knob Road just north of Lakeville
in Apple Valley. Route 479 also offers express service to downtown Minneapolis. Although these
routes stop in some suburban communities north on the way to Minneapolis, there is no local transit
connection to neighboring suburban communities.
Existing Transit Facilities
The City of Lakeville is home to two Park and Rides, and two Park and Pool locations. The Park
and Rides are planned to become stations along transitways.
Kenrick Park and Ride opened in September 2009 and offers free parking for up to 750 vehicles in a
three-level ramp. The facility offers transit advantages that allow the express route buses to get
directly on I-35. Use of the park and ride has risen since opening, last reported in 2016 to be above
80% utilized. Route 467 is currently the only route that serves Kenrick Park and Ride.
Lakeville Cedar Park and Ride was built in anticipation of the METRO Red Line, and currently is
served by route 477. The park and ride has 190 stalls, though utilization has consistently been below
10% for the past four years (2012-16.)
Two Park and Pool locations are along I-35 at 185th Street and 210th Street. Commuters can meet
and park at these locations and join in one car for the commute into job centers.
There is a transit support facility, Schmitty and Sons bus garage, located at 22750 Pillsbury Ave,
Lakeville, MN 55044. Schmitty and Sons operates and maintains MVTA’s fleet. The overall transit
system in Eureka Township is shown in Figure 12.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 44
Figure 12. Existing Transit System in Lakeville
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 45
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 46
Transit Advantages
There are several transit advantages available to commuters traveling to and from the City of
Lakeville, particularly those using express buses in Lakeville and in adjacent Cities. Transit
advantages are facilities such as bus-only shoulders, high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, and ramp-
meter bypasses that give buses and commuters an advantage over a single-occupant vehicle.
Bus-only use of freeway shoulders when the roadway is congested is available along portions of
Trunk Highway (TH) 77 and I-35. Dedicated lanes for HOV exist along I-35W between TH 13 and
I-494. These lanes can only be used by buses and vehicles carrying two or more people during peak
congestion hours. Bypass lanes allow buses and cars with two or more people to bypass congested
on-ramps during peak travel times. There are meter bypass lanes accessible to commuters traveling
from Lakeville to other parts of the region, but not located within the City of Lakeville itself.
There are two transit advantages currently within Lakeville, there is one dedicated bus exit to
Lakeville Kenrick, and there are shoulders large enough for buses along Cedar Avenue north of
Lakeville Cedar into Apple Valley.
Travel Demand Management
Travel Demand Management (TDM) includes strategies and actions for reducing single-occupant
vehicle travel, increasing vehicle-occupancy rates, and reducing vehicle miles traveled. Changes in
travel behavior for the metropolitan area are constantly being sought to more effectively manage
existing transportation facilities. By modifying demand for travel, congestion and the need for
facility expansion can be lessened.
Travel demand management may include both incentives and disincentives to reduce trip-making
activity, decrease single-occupant vehicle travel, shift travel away from congested locations, increase
high occupancy vehicle travel and decrease peak hour travel. Most TDM actions are targeted toward
the peak hour work trip in highly congested areas. TDM programs are more effective where there
are multiple strategies for changing behavior. The actions selected depend upon the stated objectives
and priorities of the TDM sponsor, funding availability, administrative resources, and participant
support. Additional TDM strategies are discussed in the following:
Ridesharing
Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit provide carpool and vanpool matching services, promotes
ridesharing, and sponsors demonstration projects in the Twin Cities area. Ridesharing can be
especially attractive for longer trips on congested corridors such as work trips from Lakeville to
metropolitan centers.
Transit and Ridesharing Incentives
Employers can encourage employees to rideshare or use public transit if available. The benefits to
the employer may include a reduction in the need for parking facilities and less traffic congestion
around the employment site. Incentives for employees can include, subsidy of vanpools, preferential
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 47
parking for those ridesharing, and subsidized bus passes, on-site sale of bus passes, distribution of
transit schedules and ridesharing information.
Alternative Work Schedules
Variable work hours, flex time and other alternative work schedules can shift from the peak hour or
period. However, changes in start-time tend to dilute the ability to share rides. Encouraging
employers in suitable industries to allow employees to work from home will also lessen congestion
and can be a particularly useful tool during reconstruction of roads or times of increased congestion.
ADA Dial-A-Ride
ADA Dial-A-Ride is a demand-responsive transit service serving Lakeville and other communities in
the Twin Cities metro area. This program provides door-to-door service to all residents of the Twin
Cities for trips within Dakota County and outside the County.
Lakeville Loop
The Lakeville Loop is a demand-response circulator service intended for seniors that operates from
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thursdays except for Thanksgiving. The service connects senior housing
developments to shopping areas, the Lakeville Heritage Center, and the library. Riders are helped
door-to-door and all buses are accessible. Riders pay $3.00 to ride all day. In the 28 days of service
between February 2017 and May 2018, more than 450 total rides have been provided in Lakeville,
averaging nearly 17 riders each day.
Dial-a-Ride Services
TransitLink offers a dial-a-ride service in Lakeville for the public. TransitLink has a base price of
$4.50 during Peak fare windows and $3.50 during Off-Peak fare windows and holidays. A $0.75
surcharge will be assessed for trips longer than 15 miles. Users can pay using the Go-To Card which
also works with all other Metro Transit services. These services are available Monday through
Friday from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM by reservation only and is based on availability.
Transit Service Types
Three basic types of transit service may be considered for implementation in Lakeville. Based on
peer City experience, the largest portion of a future service package will likely consist of regular-
route express commuter services, connecting Lakeville to downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Reverse commute service from the central urban areas to Lakeville employment sites can also be
provided on the return runs. Commuter express service normally operates Monday through Friday
from approximately 5:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., and 3:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Mid-day trips may also be
included to provide better travel options.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 48
The second type of service is regular-route, scheduled local circulator bus service. This could be
limited to circulation within Lakeville to facilitate travel to and from express services and transit
hubs, and between other local destinations, or reach outside City boundaries to connect with other
destinations. Local bus service might operate Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with
service concentrated around the peak periods to collect riders for the express services. Four routes
and buses could essentially cover most of the City with acceptable walking distances, if adequate
pedestrian amenities, such as sidewalks, stops, and shelters, are provided. If demand develops,
circulator services could be expanded to nights and weekends.
A secondary benefit of providing regular route local bus service would be the expansion of ADA
services. The Metropolitan Council is required by federal mandate to provide ADA complementary
dial-a-ride services in those parts of the metropolitan area that is served by regular route local bus
service. For Lakeville, this would likely involve the expansion of the area within which DARTS
provides these services under contract to the Council.
The third type of available service is dial-a-ride. This is a curb-to-curb demand-response bus service
that generally offers rides on a pre-arranged or reserved basis within the City, or beyond as desired.
This service offers the maximum trip flexibility for a transit rider, but less convenience and
predictability than scheduled circulators. Dial-a-ride service could operate Monday to Friday from
6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with expanded service nights and weekends as desired. Two to three small,
accessible buses supported by a central reservations/dispatch office would probably provide all
service necessary, based on peer system examples. If circulator service would be downplayed as a
preference, dial-a-ride service during the peak periods, including standing orders, such as regular
daily arranged pick-ups, or a subscription service, could provide local commuter connections at a
somewhat lower capacity and flexibility but higher convenience for some riders.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 49
Future Transit Development
Transitways and Transit Facility Enhancement
Metro Transit and the Metropolitan Council have planned new transitway projects that will affect
Lakeville transportation and access. The current Transportation Policy Plan calls for continued
development of two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors that will connect the City of Lakeville with
other transit modes in the region. The METRO Red Line and the Orange Line services will include
high frequency bus services. Transit stations at key points on these routes will offer park-and-ride
facilities and bus transfers from local routes to expedite travel in the metropolitan area.
Lakeville has the ability directly work with MVTA to influence the decisions of the organizations.
The City also has the opportunity to weigh in on the planning and management of the Red Line and
Orange Line. The City should continue to be fully engaged in the decision-making processes in these
organizations and programs to ensure an effective and high-level of transit service in the City.
There are six transit stations planned along extensions of transitways in Lakeville listed in Table 16,
one at the terminus of the Orange Line, and five along the Red Line.
Table 16. Future Transit Stations
Station Name Metro Transitway Date of Implementation
161st Street Red Line TBD
Glacier Way Red Line TBD
Lakeville Cedar
Park & Ride Red Line TBD
195th Street Red Line TBD
215th Street Red Line TBD
Kenrick Avenue Orange Line TBD
As Lakeville prepares for the construction of stations for these BRT lines, station area planning can
contribute to success of the stations. Station area planning is included as an action item for
municipalities in the Cedar Avenue Transitway Red Line Implementation Plan Update.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 50
Bicycle and Trail System Plan
Planning for a Connected Pedestrian and Bicycle System
The City of Lakeville is a suburban edge community that has experienced significant growth over
the last several decades. Throughout this expansion, the City has been implementing a plan for park
and trail development that provides residents with a well-established system of recreational
amenities. These amenities include trails and sidewalks that provide important enhancements to the
City’s transportation system and allow residents and visitors an alternative approach for travelling to
work, school, employment centers and transit centers. The City of Lakeville continues to improve
and expand its trail system and future multimodal planning will focus on filling gaps in the existing
local trail system and connecting the local system to the regional parks and trail systems, regional
employment clusters and regional transit facilities.
Existing Trail System
The City of Lakeville has a well-developed local trail system including connections to City Parks, its
historic downtown, Lake Marion, and portions of two planned regional trails that extend through
the City. Over the last decade, Lakeville has incorporated off-street trails, sidewalks, and bikeways
into major roadway improvements throughout the City, creating key linkages within the bicycle
network. Many roadway improvement projects have included trails on both sides of roadways,
providing more connections to neighborhoods and local trails and enhancing the local trail system.
North-south trails extend along one or both sides of Kenrick Avenue, Kenwood Trail, Ipava
Avenue, Dodd Boulevard, Highview Avenue, Cedar Avenue, Flagstaff Avenue, and Pilot Knob
Road. East-west trails extend along 160th Street, 162nd Street, 165th Street, 170th Street, 175th
Street, and 185th Street. Other prominent existing local trails adjacent to City streets that create
connections into neighborhoods and business centers include the Juno Trail. As the City’s trail
system continues to expand, it will be important to identify gaps in the existing system and
implement enhancements to the future system to improve connections and provide additional access
to regional parks and trails and connections to regional employment clusters. Figure 13 identifies the
existing trail system in Lakeville.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 51
Figure 13. Existing Trail System in Lakeville
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 52
Gaps in the Existing Trail System
The local trail system within the City of Lakeville is robust and includes important north-south and
east-west trails that serve as the main arteries to a growing network. Improving the local trail system
involves identifying existing gaps and planning to fill those gaps to enhance connections to key
destinations within and outside City limits. The primary connections for the local trail system include
the following:
1. Connections to local parks and schools;
2. Connections to regional parks and trails;
3. Connections to regional employment clusters;
4. Connections to the local transit system;
5. Connections to the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN).
With the current bicycle demand in Lakeville, there are a variety of tools and resources that can be
utilized on a case by case basis to evaluate locations at an additional level of detail. A summary of
two of these tools are offered below:
Local Road Research Board (LRRB) – Pedestrian Crossings: Uncontrolled Locations
The information presented in this guidebook is provided as a resource to assist agencies in their
efforts to evaluate uncontrolled pedestrian crossings and determine appropriate treatment options.
The City of Lakeville could benefit from using this tool to evaluate crossings with a crash history or
that have been identify as high priority uncontrolled pedestrian crossings locations. This evaluation
tool is based on research on the safety of pedestrian crossings and the procedure developed in the
2010 Highway Capacity Manual on pedestrian delay. Information such as stopping sight distance,
pedestrian sight distance, average daily vehicular traffic volumes, pedestrian/bicyclist counts,
roadway speed, gap surveys, and number of travel lanes and median type are all inputs used to
evaluate the needs of the crossing.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)– Shared-Use Path Level of Service Calculator
This is a tool that can be used to determine if or when a path should separate pedestrians/bicyclists.
The calculator inputs one-way pedestrian/bicyclist volumes, mode split (adult bikers, pedestrians,
runners, skaters, child bikers), and the trail width and outputs the LOS of the shared use path. Given
the existing trail infrastructure Lakeville has built along it’s arterial and connector roadways, this tool
could be beneficial in determining where pedestrian and bicyclists could be separated based on
current or future projected volumes.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 53
In addition to fulfilling the important connections listed above, there are several existing gaps in the
local trail network that, when completed, will enhance the overall trail network. Figure 13 identifies
the planned sidewalk and trail system within Lakeville. The future sidewalk and trail system
completes the existing gaps in the local trail network. Gaps identified in the existing and planned
trail system are those which include incomplete segments of trails that extend on sides of key north-
south and east-west roadways, and important incomplete connections to parks, schools, regional
employment clusters, local transit system, regional trails or other existing local trails. The following
existing pedestrian and bicycle system gaps have been identified within the City of Lakeville2:
• 215th Street (CSAH 70) from Kenrick Avenue to Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) (off-street
bikeway system gap)
• Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) from South City Limits to 181st Street (off-street bikeway system
gap on the east side only)
• Dodd Boulevard (CSAH 9) from 183rd Street to East City Limits (off-street bikeway system
gap)
• 202nd Street (CSAH 50) from Holyoke Avenue to Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) (off-street
bikeway system gap)
• 200th Street (CR 64) from Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) to East City Limits (off-street bikeway
and pedestrian gap)
• 185th Street from County Road 50 to Ipava Avenue (off-street bikeway system gap)
2 Dakota County Pedestrian and Bicycle DRAFT Plan, 2018.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 54
Connections to Regional Employment Clusters
The City of Lakeville has identified five regional employment clusters that are characterized by
significant retail, professional services, commercial, and industrial development. The five regional
employment clusters include:
• I-35 at 210th Street (CSAH 70)
• I-35 at Kenwood Trail (CSAH 50)
• 210th Street (CSAH 70) from Dodd Boulevard (CSAH 9) to Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23)
• Kenwood Trail (CSAH 50) at Dodd Boulevard (CSAH 9)
• Dodd Boulevard (CSAH 9) at Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23)
Creating strong multimodal connections to regional employment clusters with trails and sidewalks
will enhance the trail network within Lakeville by providing residents and visitors alternatives to
driving to frequently utilized services. The regional employment clusters are commonly located at
the intersection of major highways and can create obstacles for local trails often due to the presence
of large bridges and expansive intersections nearby or within the regional employment cluster
locations. Planning for trail connections to regional employment cluster locations is an important
first step in ensuring that future development includes multimodal facility enhancements, such as
off-road trails, independent pedestrian bridges, and ADA compliant roadway crossings.
Another important element of the City’s trail system is its relationship to the Lakeville transit system.
Better trail connectivity to park and ride facilities as well as commercial areas in the City offer users
the opportunity to utilize the existing trail system to travel to and from transit nodes throughout the
City. By increasing the number of trail connections to the transit system, including park and ride lots
and transit stations, commuters may be encouraged to utilize transit-related transportation.
Currently, there are trail connections to each of the park and ride lots within the City. As additional
transit facilities are developed within Lakeville, the City will need to ensure adequate pedestrian and
bicycle trail connections are available.
Regional Parks System Components
Regional parks system components such as regional parks, park reserves, special recreation features,
and regional trails are identified in the 2040 Metropolitan Council Regional Parks Policy Plan. There
are currently no regional parks and park reserves within the City of Lakeville. The Murphy-
Hanrehan Regional Park Reserve borders the City to west.
Additionally, there are currently no regional trails within the City of Lakeville. However, the Lake
Marion Greenway and North Creek Greenway are planned regional trails identified by the 2040
Metropolitan Council Regional Parks Policy Plan. Further information regarding these planned
regional trails is listed below:
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 55
• Lake Marion Greenway Regional Trail – Dakota County adopted the Lake Marion Greenway
Master Plan in 2013. When completed, the 20-mile trail will travel through the Cities of
Burnsville, Savage, Lakeville and Farmington, and Credit River Township. Within the City of
Lakeville, downtown will be connected to Lake Marion, Ritter Farm Park, and Murphy-
Hanrehan Park Reserve.
• North Creek Greenway Regional Trail – Dakota County adopted the North Creek Greenway
Master Plan in 2011. When completed, the 14-mile trail will travel through Eagan, Apple
Valley, Lakeville, Farmington and Empire Township. The trail will pass through the
Northeast quadrant of Lakeville linking the City to regional destinations including Lebanon
Hills Regional Park, the Minnesota Zoo, and the Vermillion River.
Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN)
The City of Lakeville is a leader in developing bicycle and trail facilities and planning the next phases
of the multimodal system within the City should correspond closely to the corridors identified in the
Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN) to provide seamless connections to neighboring
communities and the broader regional transportation network.
The RBTN was developed as part of the Metropolitan Council 2014 Regional Bicycle System Study,
which highlights important regional transportation connections for cyclists. The RBTN serves as
framework for designated regional corridors and alignments and defines critical bicycle
transportation links to help municipalities guide their bikeway planning and development. The
RBTN is subdivided into two tiers for regional planning and investment prioritization:
RBTN Tier 1
Priority RBTN corridors and alignments. These corridors and alignments have been determined to
provide the best transportation connectivity to regional facilities and developed areas and are given
the highest priority for transportation funding. RBTN Tier 1 corridors and alignments within
Lakeville include:
• Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) (Alignment)
RBTN Tier 2
RBTN corridors and alignments. These corridors and alignments are the second highest priority for
funding. They provide connections to regional facilities in neighboring cities and serve to connect
priority regional bicycle transportation corridors and alignments. RBTN Tier 2 corridors and
alignments within Lakeville include:
• Lakeville Boulevard/Holyoke Avenue/Interlachen Boulevard (Corridor)
• 185th Street/Planned 185th Street extension (Corridor)
• Diamond Path (Corridor)
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 56
Linking Local Trails to the RBTN
The goal of the RBTN is to develop an integrated seamless system of on-street bikeways and off-
road trails that complement each other to most effectively improve conditions for bicycle
transportation at the regional level. Cities, such as Lakeville, are encouraged to plan for and
implement future bikeways within and along these designated corridors and alignments to support
the RBTN vision.
The RBTN corridors and alignments make up the trunk arterials of the overall system of bikeways
that connect to regional employment and activity centers. These are not intended to be the only
bicycle facilities in the region, and local municipalities, such as Lakeville, are encouraged to consider
planning for any additional bike facilities desired by their communities. RBTN corridors are shown
where more specific alignments within those corridors have not yet been designated, so the City of
Lakeville is encouraged to use their comprehensive planning process to identify suitable alignments
within the RBTN corridors.
In addition, Lakeville will consider planning local on- and off-road bikeway networks to connect to
the designated Tier 1 and Tier 2 alignments, as well as any new network alignments within RBTN
corridors to be proposed in future comprehensive plans. Local trails in Lakeville will be expected to
provide important connections to the two planned regional trails in the City as they are completed,
including the Lake Marion Greenway Regional Trail and the North Creek Greenway Regional Trail.
The regional trail connections will provide residents and visitors easy off-street access to regional
parks, employment clusters, and the RBTN.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 57
Freight System Plan
The major generator of truck traffic in the Lakeville area is the Airlake Industrial Park near Airlake
Airport. Airlake Industrial Park is one of the largest industrial parks in the region, as measured by
acreage. Several interstate trucking companies are headquartered in Lakeville to provide industrial
and commercial transportation. Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) and 215th Street (CSAH 70) are the
primary routes for access to Airlake Industrial Park. A second major industrial development exists at
the Fairfield Business Campus near the I-35 at 210th Street (CSAH 70) interchange. The I-35
corridor in Lakeville is built to 10-ton axle loading standards and is part of both the National Truck
Network and the Minnesota Twin Trailer Network, allowing extra capacity and flexibility for
commercial trucking. This major highway coverage reduces the impact of truck traffic on local
roadways and minimizes the potential for disruption of neighborhoods. The existing freight system
in Lakeville is shown in Figure 14.
Truck traffic from industrial, warehousing, and commercial land uses can be adequately
accommodated through the following measures:
• Locating truck-intensive land uses with good proximity to the metropolitan highway system
and with good access to the minor arterial system;
• Using acceptable design standard on arterials, which will ensure adequate turning radius and
pavement depth for trucks;
• Signing and marking to minimize truck traffic through neighborhoods.
Freight rail service is available from Canadian Pacific Rail. Local short-line freight service is provided
by Progressive Rail. Progressive Rail is based at the Airlake Industrial Park and provides short-haul
connections. The City will continue to work to maintain rail service within Airlake Industrial Park.
The City of Lakeville does not have, nor do they anticipate, any roadway issues or problem areas
that may negatively impact the efficient movement of goods.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 58
Figure 14. Existing Freight System
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 59
Aviation Plan
A portion of Airlake Airport lies in southern Lakeville as shown in Figure 14. About 50% of the
airport is in Eureka Township just south of Lakeville. Airlake Airport is a Metropolitan Airports
Commission (MAC) reliever airport serving the community's corporate and private aviation needs.
Airlake Airport primarily serves private and recreational pilots and features a single 4,099-foot
runway. The airport annually experiences more than 34,000 landings and take-offs.3 There are 140
aircraft based at the airport, the majority being single engine airplanes.
Small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS,) commonly called drones under 55 pounds, are not allowed
to be operated within 5 miles of active airports.
Structures which are 200 feet or higher above ground level may pose hazards to air navigation.
Lakeville has no existing structures of this height, does not permit such structures under its zoning
ordinance, and has no plans to permit such structures in the future. The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) requires the FAA Form 7460-1 “Notice of Proposed Construction or
Alteration,” under code of federal regulations CFR-Part 77, be filed for any proposed structure or
alteration that exceeds 200 feet. FAA Form 7460-1 can be obtained from FAA headquarters and
regional offices. These forms must be submitted 30 days before alteration or construction begins or
the construction permit is filed, whichever is earlier. MnDOT must also be notified per MnDOT
Rules Chapter 8800. The Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) airport community land use safety zoning
ordinance should also be considered when reviewing construction in the City that raises potential
aviation conflicts.
An airport's airspace must be protected from potential obstructions and electronic interference to
aircraft operation. Specific State requirements to protect airspace include forming a joint airport and
community zoning board, defining an airport zoning district, and implementing an airport zoning
ordinance including land use safety zoning. These activities need to be put in place by Airlake
Airport communities. In preparing an ordinance the City should review the recent changes to
MnDOT Rules Chapter 8800.
The Airlake Airport 2035 Comprehensive Plan Update was updated in 2018. The plan includes the
addition of 79 hangar spaces by 2025, developed on an as-needed basis and an extension of Runway
12-30 to 5,000 feet with Hangar Area Development. The anticipated timeline for these
improvements has not yet been established but will be in part based upon the availability of
water/sewer services. Forecasts done for the Airlake Airport 2025 Comprehensive Plan indicate that
the airport is currently operating at 25 percent capacity. Even under the high scenario, the forecast
number of operations in 2025 does not trigger the need for additional runways at Airlake Airport.
However, that can change based on demand which is difficult to forecast beyond 10 years. The
Airlake Airport was partially annexed by the City of Lakeville in 2018.
It is important to note that FAA safety zone requirements have changed since the original Airlake
Airport runway was constructed. The current alignment of Cedar Avenue (CSAH 23) is technically
in the safety zone so any changes to the roadway, such widening or adding turn lanes, may trigger
3 Source: www.airnav.com
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 60
the realignment of the roadway regardless of the need to expand the runway at that time. The
Metropolitan Council’s 2040 Transportation Policy Plan identifies the region-wide need for
additional runway and hangar area improvements for traditional general aviation users, for new light
sport aircraft and for very light jets that will soon be joining the fleet. Some of this growth is
expected to utilize the Airlake Airport.
Heliports
There is no stand-alone heliport within the City of Lakeville. Helicopter operations, including
emergency medical services, take place at Airlake Airport.
Floatplanes and Seaplanes
Two lakes within the City of Lakeville, Lake Marion and Orchard Lake, are designated in Minnesota
State Rules Chapter 8800.2800 as authorized for purposes of safe floatplane and seaplane use. The
operation of floatplanes and seaplanes on Lake Marion and Orchard Lake must conform to all
applicable marine traffic rules and regulations.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 61
Funding Strategies
Roadways under City jurisdiction are maintained, preserved, constructed, and reconstructed by the
City’s Department of Public Works. Funding for these activities, including the administrative costs
of operating the Department, are obtained from a variety of sources, including ad valorem taxes,
special assessments, development fees, and tax increment financing. A major concern of the City is
the availability of sufficient funds for maintenance and construction activities. If funds are
unavailable, needed projects may be delayed or terminated and maintenance of existing facilities may
fall short of acceptable standards. The following explains the existing sources of funding and
potential new sources of revenue.
State Aid
An important source of revenue to the City is State Aid. A network of City streets called Municipal
State-Aid Streets (MSAS) are eligible for funding assistance with revenue from the State Highway
User Tax Distribution Fund. This constitutionally-protected funding allocation is comprised of
gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees and is allocated based on a formula that considers the
population of a City and the financial construction needs of its MSAS system.
Ad Valorem Taxes
For situations in which 20 percent of the cost of a City project can be assessed to the adjacent
property owners, the remaining cost of the project can be added to the ad valorem or property taxes
of the remaining property owners in the City. Ad valorem taxes for street improvements are
excluded from the State-mandated levy limits.
Tax Increment Financing
Establishing a tax increment financing (TIF) district is a method of funding infrastructure
improvements that are needed immediately using the additional tax revenue to be generated in
future years by a specific development. Municipal bonds are issued against this future revenue,
which is dedicated for a period of years to the repayment of the bonds or to other improvements
within the TIF project area. TIF districts can accelerate economic development in an area by
ensuring that the needed infrastructure is in place without requiring support from the usual funding.
Grant Funding
There are many opportunities for metropolitan cities to take advantage of various grant funding
initiatives. Regional Solicitation and Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) are among grant
solicitations for the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The City should monitor the grant funding
opportunities available for applicable projects and submit applications when possible.
Lakeville Transportation Plan Page 62
Planning for the Future
Throughout the City of Lakeville’s comprehensive planning effort, the City will consider how to
address existing transportation needs, while setting the stage for future growth. Items for
consideration include the following:
• System Preservation
• Connected Vehicles and Autonomous Vehicles
• Performance Standards and Measures
• Project Prioritization
• New Revenue Sources
• New Maintenance Techniques
• Asset Management
• Travel Demand Management
• Bicycle Amenities
• Car Sharing Provisions
• Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School
System Preservation
Infrastructure systems such as roadways, bridges, culverts, and sidewalks have become expensive
and challenging to maintain in today’s environment with aging infrastructure, rising costs of
materials, and stagnant or declining revenue. In fact, many local agencies are being forced to pause,
and ask questions about the costs and benefits of continuing to maintain assets throughout their
entire system, or if other approaches should be explored to better balance needs with available
resources. Generally, approaches to be considered include:
Connected Vehicles and Autonomous Vehicles
Connected Vehicles (CVs) refers to vehicles that communicate with one another and with other
elements of intelligent transportation infrastructure. Autonomous, automated, or self-driving
vehicles (AVs) describes a spectrum of vehicles that require varying degrees of human control.
Connected Automated Vehicles (CAVs) to refers to both technologies, which are automated
vehicles connected to other vehicles and the transportation system.
There is a wide range of forecasted adoption scenarios for CV and AV technology. Analysts from
the automotive industry tend to provide more conservative forecasts, while analysts from the
technology world tend to be less conservative, with some forecasting heavy adoption by as early as
2030. Before widespread adoption occurs, there will be an extended period during which the
developing CV and AV platform must coexist with human-operated personal vehicles, as well as
with public transit, pedestrian users, and other modes. In Metropolitan Council’s 2040 TPP, it is
noted that the implications of connected and automated vehicles need to be thoroughly examined.
As with many new transportation technologies, automated and connected vehicles are likely to
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penetrate urban markets prior to expanding to the suburbs, especially if they are initially developed
through a ride-hailing platform.
Performance Standards and Measures
A performance-based approach improves the accountability of local infrastructure investments,
assesses risks related to different performance levels, and monitors progress and increases
transparency.
Project Prioritization
Project prioritization can help the City rank infrastructure needs in a manner that is consistent with
preservation goals and objectives. This technique can help avoid the typical “worst first” approach
to programming preservation projects that tends to invest limited resources in the most expensive
improvements instead of directing maintenance funds to infrastructure that merely need
rehabilitation, which will provide more cost-effective solutions in a timely manner.
New Revenue Sources
There are methods to capture new revenue streams to close the financial gap in maintaining assets in
a state of good repair. Exploring new revenue sources will allow the City to expand and accelerate
preservation initiatives.
New Maintenance Techniques
There are new maintenance techniques that can extend the lifecycle of an asset. For example, new
maintenance techniques for roadway surfaces can provide longer service life and higher traffic
volume thresholds, resulting in more stable road maintenance costs. Cost reduction of life cycle
extension strategies which save money, or extend surface life, can directly benefit preservation
needs, and minimize any identified financial gap.
Asset Management
Tracking assets and their condition will provide a stronger outlook on lifecycle costs and
replacement schedules. This will help establish funding plans and identified future funding gaps or
shortfalls.
Travel Demand Management
Research has shown that Travel Demand Management strategies are a useful technique in helping
alleviate parking demands in a geographical area. TDM strategies are applied to help reduce the
number of single occupancy vehicles traveling and parking in a certain area. Opportunities to
encourage TDM strategies are highlighted throughout this section.
Travel Demand Management Plans (TDMP)
A TDMP outline measures to mitigate parking demand as part of the development permit process,
which can result in innovative solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of a neighborhood or
district. These types of plans may require specific strategies for reducing single-occupancy vehicle
trips and promoting alternative modes of transportation.
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Bicycle Amenities
Actively promoting bicycling as an alternative means of travel to and from a destination can be
achieved through information dissemination and the provision of bicycle storage facilities and
adding on-street bicycle lanes and additional connections to trails. These actions can help decrease
the demand for vehicle parking.
Car Sharing Provisions
Car sharing programs provide mobility options to a cross section of residents who would not
otherwise have access to a vehicle. These programs encourage the efficient use of a single vehicle
among multiple users, while reducing the amount of parking needed to accommodate each resident
within a neighborhood. Zoning language can encourage or require new developments of a certain
size to include off-street parking provisions for car sharing programs.
Shared Mobility
Shared mobility includes bikesharing, carsharing, and ridesourcing services provided by companies
such as Uber and Lyft. Predictions indicate that by creating a robust network of mobility options,
these new modes will help reduces car ownership and increase use of public transit, which will
continue to function as the backbone of an integrated, multimodal transportation system.
Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School
Complete Streets are commonly defined as roadways that accommodate all users such as
pedestrians, bicyclist, vehicles and transit, regardless of age and ability. This is important to consider
when recognizing the diversity of people traveling throughout the community.
The Transportation Plan’s goals and policies embrace several elements of complete streets, such as
safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. MnDOT has adopted a Complete Streets Policy, last updated in
May 2016, and has committed to assessing opportunities for incorporating complete street design
principles in all MnDOT projects. MnDOT’s Complete Streets Policy can serve as a resource to the
City for incorporating complete street design standards into City projects.
Safe Routes to School is a national initiative to increase safety and promote walking and bicycling for
America’s youth. The Safe Routes to school program will assist in providing infrastructure and non-
infrastructure grants to build trails, paths, and safe connections to local schools.
Planning for safe routes to schools will require specific attention to certain elements such as bike
routes, complete street treatments, sidewalk networks, pedestrian/bicycle amenities and wayfinding
signage. Combined, these elements can create Safe Routes to Schools or Complete Streets.