Washington County briefs: County approves scoping for Gateway Corridor DEIS

The Washington County Board of Commissioners, sitting as the Washington County Regional Railroad Authority (WCRRA) Aug. 12, approved the scoping decision for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Gateway Corridor.

The Gateway Corridor is a transitway that stretches from downtown St. Paul to the St. Croix River Bridge, along Interstate 94, Hudson Road, and Highway 12.

The WCRRA is the lead agency on behalf of the Gateway Corridor Commission in partnership with the Metropolitan Council and the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority for the completion of a DEIS for the Gateway Corridor. As the lead agency, the WCRRA must take action on the official scoping decision which outlines what will be studied in the DEIS document. The Gateway Corridor Commission has stated its recommendations for consideration by the WCRRA, after completion of a technical analysis and receiving public input.

The recommendations for the scoping decision include advancing BRT in a dedicated guideway as the recommended transit mode, with an alignment through Oakdale, Lake Elmo, and Woodbury.

The DEIS will determine mitigation measures, further engineering, and public engagement. The process will eventually require Federal Transportation Administration approval.

The scoping decision for the DEIS will review traffic, noise, property acquisition, and other aspects of the Gateway Corridor project.

The public may receive information on the project through a scoping booklet and project fact sheets, as well as a YouTube video, under The Gateway Corridor Scoping Video. Public comments have been received through meetings and the scoping comment period.

County will convey tax-forfeited land for road right-of-way

The Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed to convey six tax-forfeited land parcels to the City of Stillwater Aug. 12, to be used for road right-of-way for Creekside Crossing.

The parcels are outlots along the roadway, which goes north from Boutwell Road. Minnesota law requires counties to manage tax-forfeited property on behalf of the state, and the County Board must approve the disposition of the property.

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Washington County briefs: County approves scoping for Gateway Corridor DEIS