952-378-5017
Astra Village
Brooklyn Park, MN
Project Type: Mixed Use
Development Overview
Astra Partners is proposing a 150 acre development in Brooklyn Park adjacent to the Highway 610/Zane Avenue interchange. Astra Village is planned to contain approximately 1,924,000 square feet of office space, 800 attached housing units, 300 attached senior housing units, 92,000 square feet of commercial/retail space, and a 150 room hotel. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared by MFRA to assess the environmental impacts of the proposed project.
Project Scope
Spack Consulting prepared the traffic impact section of the EIS. A key component in preparing the traffic impact study was collaborating with Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County, and MnDOT staff to determine the appropriate traffic mitigation strategies.
A traffic impact study was prepared for the first phase of development and full build-out of the development. Seventeen intersections were analyzed in the morning and evening peak hours. A detailed mitigation plan was developed, including a revision to the Highway 610/Zane Avenue interchange and the addition of traffic signals to five intersections. Micro-simulation models were prepared to detail the stacking of vehicles at the study intersections so the appropriate number of through lanes and turn lanes could be designed to adequately accommodate the traffic generated by Astra Village. Mr. Spack presented the traffic study process and findings at two public hearings.
Accomplishments
The traffic impact study prepared for the study area was a component of the final EIS which was approved in 2008. A key component of the traffic study was gaining a variance from Hennepin County for a full movement access on Zane Avenue (County State Aid Highway 14). This access was approved for the first phase of Astra Village even though the intersection location doesn't meet the county's access spacing guidelines.