Public meetings and events
Upcoming
Information about upcoming meetings will be posted as details become available.
What we heard from the community
Public engagement has helped identify the community’s concerns and desired improvements for the project area. Over the past two years, the project planning team has had conversations with Anoka residents, businesses, and stakeholders via one-on-one phone calls, emails, small group listening sessions, meetings with nearby businesses, surveys, neighborhood meetings and open houses.
- Public meetings:
- In November 2022 approximately 80 people attended a public meeting at Anoka-Hennepin Education Service Center.
- In May 2022 over 300 people attended a public meeting at Anoka-Hennepin Education Service Center.
- In February 2022 a neighborhood meeting was hosted for residents near Martin St. and Pleasant St. intersections.
- In September 2021, community members were invited to complete a questionnaire to describe their problems, concerns, experiences and priorities for the Hwy 47 and BNSF railroad crossing. 1,039 residents, businesses, commuters and stakeholders completed the survey; their responses helped identify the project area’s main transportation problems and the ways that people wanted those problems to be addressed.
- Businesses and agency outreach:
- A1 Recycling
- Aero Materials
- Alter Metals
- Anoka County Fairgrounds
- Anoka County Parks Dept
- Anoka County staff
- County Board Meetings
- Anoka Hennepin School District
- Anoka Today Alano
- City of Anoka staff
- City Council meetings
- Emergency Services (fire, ambulance, police)
- JEM Auto Sales
- MN Firearms Training
Top concerns with delays due to:
- Trains and gate timing at the railroad crossing
- Rush hour backups
- Blocking due to vehicles turning into side roads and driveways
Top concerns with safety due to:
- Emergency Services response times
- Sight lines at and near the railroad crossing
- Tight curves
- Drivers taking alternate routes through neighborhoods
- Not enough separation of cars to bikes and pedestrians
Concerns with surrounding impacts:
- Significant impacts on local businesses, employees and customers
- Environmental impacts, specifically impacts on the river, floodway, park land and trails
Desired improvements in the project area:
- Provide either an overpass or underpass at the railroad crossing ; support for a two-lane bridge with potential for future widening to four lanes
- Improve conditions for emergency services
- Make road wider with either more lanes or turn lanes
- Ease the tight curves
- Ensure an appropriate speed for the curves and business/residential access
BNSF Railroad crossing
Challenges
- Lots of vehicle and train traffic.
- Trains traveling as fast as 75 mph.
- Major property damage.
- Serious injuries and fatalities.
Priorities
- Safety for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and trains.
- Traffic flow: Faster drive times and quicker for emergency services.
- Trail space: Multi-use for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Intersections south of crossing
Challenges
- Drivers experiencing backups and delays.
- Anticipated future increase in vehicles.
- Safety of pedestrians and drivers at each intersection.
- Proximity of roadway overpass to the intersection.
Priorities
- Maintain pedestrian access and crossings.
- Support future capacity for the road.
- Improve safety for drivers and pedestrians.
- Maintain access for residents.
- Minimize traffic impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.
Hwy 47 alignment north of crossing
Challenges
- Sharp curves create safety issues.
- Speed limit range is inconsistent in the area.
- Multiple businesses, properties and parks may be impacted.
Priorities
- Change roadway curve to improve safety.
- Minimize impacts on Rum River.
- Consider the impacts to businesses, properties and parks.
Hwy 47 and BNSF crossing: Recommended alternative – overpass
Key elements:
- Separates drivers from the trains on a bridge over the tracks
- Separates pedestrians and bicyclists from the trains on a bridge over the tracks
- Meets ADA compliance
Ferry St. at Pleasant St.: Recommended alternative - added independent left turn lanes
Key elements:
- Left turn lanes are added for northbound, eastbound, and westbound.
- Southbound left turn lane is extended.
- Pedestrian access and crossings stay the same.
Ferry St. at Martin St.: Recommended alternative – access alternative
Key elements:
- Access to Martin St. from Hwy 47 is maintained.
- Only access to Hwy 47 is from eastbound Martin St. to southbound Hwy 47.
- Improved pedestrian access with a Hwy 47 crossing with a pedestrian refuge median north of Martin St.
Hwy 47 alignment: Recommended alternative – alignment alternative 5
Key elements:
- Some impacts to Alter Metals property.
- No impacts to Rum River floodway.
- Minimal impacts to Rum River state-designated Wild and Scenic River.
- Some impacts to Anoka County Fairgrounds property.
- Replacement of Rum River South County Park land required.
- Smoother curve allows for a safe and consistent 35 mph speed limit throughout project area.
Total project cost: $25 million to $45 million
- Grade separation of railroad
- Increase safety for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and trains.
- Reduced delays and travel times.
- More reliable for emergency services.
- Intersection improvements
- North and south turn lanes at Pleasant St. aligned, creating better visibility and easier navigation.
- Straighter curves
- Provides consistent speed limit north of the railroad crossing.
- Better visibility.
- Neighborhood traffic minimized
- Turn lanes at Martin St. reduce some traffic from cutting through the neighborhood.
- Better access
- Improved visibility enables easier turns to get on and off Hwy 47.
- Left turn lanes added throughout project area.
- Bike and pedestrian
- Improvements at Martin St. and Pleasant St.
- Safer crossing over the railroad.
Ferry St. at Pleasant St.: Dismissed alternative
Disadvantages:
- May not meet capacity needs in the future.
- Location of left turn lanes limits visibility.
Ferry St. at Martin St.: Dismissed alternatives
Alternative 1 disadvantages:
- Results in largest rerouting of traffic through the neighborhood to and from Pleasant St. to access Hwy 47.
Alternative 2 disadvantages:
- EB Martin St. traffic would be rerouted through the neighborhood to Pleasant St. to access Hwy 47, resulting in increased traffic through neighborhoods.
Alternative 4 disadvantages:
- NB left turn and southbound right turn vehicles would be rerouted to Pleasant St., resulting in increased traffic through neighborhoods.
Alternative 5 disadvantages:
- NB left turn vehicles would be rerouted to Pleasant St. and through neighborhood. Resulting in increase in traffic through neighborhoods.
Hwy 47 alignment: Dismissed alternatives
Alternative 1 disadvantages:
- Requires relocation of main entrance of Alter Metals to Garfield St.
- Does not change road curves or speed limit.
- Impacts to Rum River state-designated Wild and Scenic River.
Total project cost: $25 million to $40 million
Alternative 2 disadvantages:
- Major impacts to Alter Metals property.
Total project cost: $50 million to $140 million
Alternative 3 disadvantages:
- Impacts to Rum River floodway and state-designated Wild and Scenic River.
- Impacts to Anoka County Fairgrounds property.
- Impacts to City well house.
- Replacement of Rum River South County Park land required.
Total project cost: $30 million to $50 million
Alternative 4 disadvantages:
- Impacts to Rum River floodway and state-designated Wild and Scenic River.
- Impacts to Anoka County Fairgrounds property.
- Replacement of Rum River South County Park land required.
Total project cost: $25 million to $45 million