City Council Meeting Date: February 10, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Sean Simonson, Engineering Manager
David E. Bennett, PE - Public Works Director/City Engineer
Subject:
TITLE
Consider Resolution Approving Plans and Specifications and Order Advertisement for Bids for the 2026 Mill and Overlay and Mill Towns State Trail Improvements Project (STRT2026-A83).
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the attached Resolution (Attachment 1) Approving the Plans and Specifications for the 2026 Mill and Overlay and Mill Towns State Trail Improvements Project (STRT2026-A83) and Authorizes the Ad for Bid.
Summary Report:
City Council Approved the Feasibility Report for the 2026 Mill and Overlay and Mill Towns State Trail Improvements Project (STRT2026-A83) at the August 4, 2025, City Council meeting.
City staff received a request from Councilor Beumer related to the cost to remove the median on Maple Street that separates the bikeway from vehicles. This request is a major change to the project and should have been identified during the Feasibility Report approval at Council. This change will severely reduce the safety of bikers on Maple Street.
The quick build median was constructed to protect the two-way bikeway and has provided a low-stress bike facility, hence increasing bike ridership (over 10 times ridership increase), and reducing speeds along Maple Street (5 mph decrease in speed). In the future, when Maple Street has a more significant roadway improvement project is when the bikeway would be redone as an off-street bikeway.
In Summary, it is estimated to cost $180,000 to remove the median that protects the bikeway. If Council directed this change, staff would delay Council action tonight redo the plans and specifications. This will delay bidding the project by a month. Staff believes if we delay an early bid, the City could see 2-5% increase in bids, so the delay could cost the City and additional $120,000 so the cost could be roughly $300,000 for this change.
Background
The following project areas are included (Attachment 2):
• Maple Street from Meadow View Drive to Jefferson Parkway (mill and overlay)
• Maple Court (mill and overlay)
• Prairie Street from Meadow View Drive to Jefferson Parkway (mill and overlay)
• Jefferson Parkway from Division Street to Spring Creek Road (mill and overlay)
• Prairie Street from Lia Drive to Prairie View Court (new sidewalk on east side)
• Jefferson Parkway from Division Street/Trunk Highway 246 to Washington Street (new off-street trail on north side)
• Jefferson Parkway from Spring Creek Park Trail to Spring Creek Road (new off-street trail on north side)
• Mill Towns Trail from Division Street to Spring Creek Road (south side of Jefferson Parkway until Prairie Street then north through Spring Creek Park)
• Maple Street and Meadow View Drive (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Washington Street (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Maple Street (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Prairie Street (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Michigan Drive (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Sibley View Trail (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Afton Drive (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Bunker Drive East and West (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Wilcox Boulevard East and West (crossing improvements)
• Jefferson Parkway and Spring Creek Park Trail (crossing improvements)
Staff held the 3rd and Final Neighborhood Meeting on January 14, 2026. At this meeting, Staff presented the final draft plans based on the recommendations from the approved feasibility report. Feedback collected was positive overall at the meeting, with most concerns related to the closure of the road and detours during the construction project. Staff have developed a phased construction approach, which was shared at the meeting, and a detour plan to help ease impacts during the construction project.
Intersection Improvements
Intersection improvements are being considered at ten locations along Jefferson Parkway within the project area. These locations include intersections with Washington Street, Afton Street, the west leg of Bunker Drive, Wilcox Boulevard West, Wilcox Boulevard East, the east leg of Bunker Drive, Maple Street, Prairie Street, a mid-block crossing just west of Michigan Drive, and the intersection of Maple Street and Meadow View Drive. These improvements largely include curb extensions, enhanced pedestrian crossing pavement markings and signage, and pedestrian refuge medians. The intersection improvements included in this project were evaluated by a multimodal design expert to determine if and where enhanced pedestrian crossings may be needed. Benefits from these improvements will include reduced vehicle speed, shorter pedestrian crossing distances, and an overall increase in safety for multimodal travel along the project corridor.
Prairie Street Sidewalk
On the east side of Prairie Street, from Prairie View Court to Lia Drive is proposed to have a new sidewalk installed. This sidewalk is part of the City’s walking and biking plan and will connect to a future sidewalk on the east side of Lia Drive. Public feedback on the section showed significant concern about the number of trees that would need to be removed to install this walk. During design, methods to save as many trees as possible were utilized. Of the 12 trees located in the right-of-way in this area, only three (3) trees are planned for removal due to installation of the new sidewalk.
Alternative Options:
The City Council could delay this project; however, the deterioration of these roads will continue.
Financial Impacts:
This project will be funded through a variety of sources including Bonding, Franchise Fees, Capital Reserve Fund, Storm Fund, Sanitary Fund, and Water Fund. The proposed project costs and funding tables are below:
Tentative Timelines:
See the attached project process (Attachment 4) which details the timeline for the 2026 Mill and Overlay and Mill Towns State Trail Improvements Project.