--- ## title: Jul 1 2026 Minutes- Transportation Commission ## author: Justin LaRue date: D:20210914194400Z --- ## Richfield Transportation Commission Minutes July 1, 2026 ## Richfield Municipal Center ## Bartholomew Conference Room ## 6700 Portland Avenue South 1. ## Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Louis Dzierzak at 7:00 p.m. on July 1st, 2026, in the Bartholomew Room. Members Present: Louis Dzierzak (Chair), Adam Knosalla (Vice Chair), David Gepner, Josh ## Kloehn, Brinnon Kubista, Eli Straub ## Members Absent: Jacob Olsen, Jaz Warren, Stella Yang Liaisons Present: Tim Brackett (Richfield Public Schools), Sean Hayford Oleary (City Council), ## Husniyah Bradley (Community Services Commission) ## Staff Present: Matt Hardegger, Jake Whipple, Joe Powers ## Guest Presenters: None 2. ## Roll Call Staff noted that Commissioners Olsen, Warren, and Yang were absent 3. Approval of the Agenda MOTION: made by Comissioner Kubista, seconded by Comissioner Gepner to approve the agenda. ## Voting Aye: Dzierzak, Knosalla, Gepner, Kloehn, Kubista, Straub ## Voting Nay: Motion carried: 6-0 4. ## Approval of Minutes a. April 29th, 2026 Minutes Commissioner Gepner requested a correction to the April 29th minutes to define the acronym "RRFB" (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon). MOTION: made by Commissioner Gepner, seconded by Commissioner Straub to approve the meeting minutes as corrected above from April 29th, 2026. ## Voting Aye: Dzierzak, Knosalla, Gepner, Kloehn, Kubista, Straub ## Voting Nay: Motion carried: 6-0 5. ## Regular Business and Public Hearing Items a. ## Penn Avenue - Open House 3 Follow Up Transportation Engineer Matt Hardegger gave a recap of Open House 3 and ongoing public engagement for Hennepin County's Penn Avenue project. Topics included public preference for various bikeway, major intersection, and minor intersection designs and a request to determine Commission preferences for design items. Commissioners discussed preferences to send to the City Council about design features that had been presented to the public in Open House 3. Preferences were determined by general consent without any noted objections. ## Bikeway Preference: One-way cycletracks ## 64th Street intersection: Roundabout with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons ## 69th Street Intersection: Roundabout ## 75th Street Intersection: Roundabout with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons ## 67th Street, 71st Street, 73rd Street Intersections: Closed Medians ## All other Intersections: Full Access Left Turn Lanes with Medians Other preferences: Raised crosswalks parallel to Penn Avenue b. ## 69th Street Safety and Utility Improvements Project Introduction Transportation Engineer Matt Hardegger provided an introduction and overview of the upcoming 69th Street Safety and Utility Improvements project. Topics included project background, existing conditions and challenges, and upcoming schedule. Commissioners discussed holding Open House #1 in August and potential coordination opportunities with Edina to extend the bikeway beyond the city limits. No formal action was taken by the Commission. 6. ## Updates a. ## City Staff Transporation Engineer Hardegger provided updates on MnDOT's I-494 project, Hennepin County's Nicollet Avenue, and the city's Sheridan Hills Safe Routes to School, 73rd Street Sidewalk, and 64th Street Sidewalk projects. City staff asked for a volunteer for the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee to represent the Transportation Commission. Commissioners Kubista and Straub volunteered. Decision was deferred to a future meeting. b. ## Liaisons Council Member Hayford-Oleary provided Council-related updates on park alcohol policy, the City Manager's retirement announcement and search process, and recent news about the property tax assessment for the Best Buy corporate campus. Commissioner Gepner praised Tim Brackett for his class to teach Richfield kids to bike. Liaison Bradley invited Commissioners to take the parks survey. 7. ## Future Agenda Items a. August 2026: Penn Avenue Design (with County) and 69th Street Open House #1 8. ## Upcoming Meetings a. ## Wednesday, July 29th (Time TBD): 2026 Bike Tour b. ## Wednesday, August 5th (7pm): Transportation Commission Regular Meeting c. Wednesday, August 19th (4:30-7:00pm): Penn Avenue Open House #4 - St. Richard's Catholic ## Church, 7540 Penn Ave S d. ## August (Date/Time/Location TBD): 69th Street Open House #1 9. ## Other Business a. ## 2026 Bike Tour Route Discussion The commission agreed to the proposed route and a start time of 6:30 PM for the Bike Tour for July 29th by general consent. 10. ## Adjournment MOTION TO ADJOURN: made by Comissioner Gepner, seconded by Comissioner Kubista to adjourn the meeting at Time 8:42 PM. ## Voting Aye: Dzierzak, Knosalla, Gepner, Kloehn, Kubista, Straub ## Voting Nay: Motion carried: 6- 0 The audio recording for this meeting is available at: https://youtu.be/-kaD-HxWZL8