Rich Sonterre, chair of the Chamber's Public Affairs Committee, is set to testify today on Senate File 8.  SF8 provides for funding for the completion of a sound wall on State Highway 10 in Mounds View and a study of transportation options for I35 W.  The bill is one the Chamber has worked on with several partners including the I35W Corridor Coalition and the City of Mounds View.

Read Rich's prepared testimony below:
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Delivered to the Minnesota Senate Transportation Committee, March 6, 1:30 p.m.

Mr. Chair, members of the Committee, my name is Rich Sonterre.  In addition to being an employee of Clear Channel Outdoor and former mayor of the City of Mounds View, I serve as Public Affairs Committee Chair for the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce.

The Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce is a local business organization serving 520 members in ten northern Twin Cities suburbs.

It is my pleasure today to appear before the Committee in support of Senate File 8, a bill providing funding to extend a sound wall on Trunk Highway 10 near the new Medtronic Campus in Mounds View as well as a study of the transportation options for I35W in the northern metropolitan area.

Transportation continues to be a top concern for businesses across the metro and it certainly rises to the top of the agenda of many members of the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber believes there is a good case to be made for linking the funds created as a result of the Medtronic project Federal land conveyance with these two key transportation projects in the area.  In essence, both projects are vital in supporting the economic development of the northern suburbs.

In the case of the sound wall on Trunk Highway 10, the Chamber contends that the sound wall brings us closer to maintaining a healthy balance between growing businesses and residential neighborhoods.  With over 50 homes directly impacted by noise along Trunk Highway 10 and a business area expected to generate an additional 8,000 vehicle trips per day within the next 12 months, noise abatement is critical to maintaining that healthy balance.

That balance is important for three practical reasons. 

First: The best neighborhoods and communities in this state have one common attribute--satisfied, happy residents.  It's easy to understand how increased traffic along Trunk Highway 10 is disruptive to residents, as described in Council member Flaherty's testimony. 

Second: noise abatement is critical to maintaining the value of homes in the area.  The residential tax base of directly impacted homes in that area is approximately 10 million dollars.  In addition to homeowners' interests, clearly the City, School District and State are impacted by any decrease in home value. 

And third: the business activity in this area will only increase in size.  In addition to the potential development at Blaine on the northwest corner of the County Road J and I35W, hotel construction in Shoreview on the southeast corner, further development in the Rice Creek area, redevelopment adjacent to the Medtronic Campus and Medtronic's potential phase three development, the number of additional employees in the area could easily reach 8,000 in the next five to ten years.

In addition to the sound wall, the Chamber feels strongly that now is the time to examine transportation options for I35W, before remedies become too costly as we have seen with other projects across the state.

I35W serves as a vital link between Greater Minnesota and the metropolitan area, in addition to servicing area residents and businesses in the growing northern metropolitan area.

A quick examination of the communities along 35W, beginning with Roseville progressing up to Blaine reveals that nearly every community has a large scale development project impacting traffic. 

These projects may include:

• Pheasant Ridge in Blaine, a mixed development of commercial and residential development.
• Phase three of the Medtronic project in Mounds View, adding as many as 2,000  additional commuting employees to the site.
• In Arden Hills, over 500 acres of proposed development on the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant site.
• For New Brighton, construction of the Northwest Quadrant--including office and significant residential development.
• And in Roseville, various plans for the western portion of County Road C area are likely to contribute to the stress placed on I35W as a major Twin Cities artery.

As presented by Richard Swanson of the I35W Corridor Coalition, now is the time to discuss future traffic needs and begin planning for this important roadway.  Failure to do so will simply result in increased costs and a deeper transportation bottleneck--a bottleneck that is already visible today.

In summary, it is the Chamber's position that utilizing Trunk Highway funds to complete the sound wall on Trunk Highway 10 as well as study the transportation needs of I35W provides economic benefit to surrounding communities and the State, while being proactive in the area of transportation infrastructure in a growing area of the Twin Cities.

The Chamber appreciates and supports Sen. Betzold and his initiatives as outlined in Senate File 8.  Mr. Chair, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.