City Council Meeting Date: October 3, 2023
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Sean Simonson, Engineering Manager
David E. Bennett, PE - Public Works Director/City Engineer
Subject:
TITLE
Consider Accepting Feasibility Report and Authorizing Plans and Specifications for the 2024 College Street and Water Street Areas Reconstruction Project (STRT2024-A77).
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the attached Resolution Accepting Feasibility Report and Authorizing Plans and Specifications for the 2024 College Street and Water Street Areas Reconstruction Project (STRT2024-A77).
Summary Report:
A recorded PowerPoint presentation is attached. There will be no formal presentation at the City Council Meeting.
The feasibility report has been completed and finds that the 2024 College Street and Water Street Areas Reconstruction Project is necessary, feasible and cost effective. A link to the Feasibility Report is below:
<https://www.northfieldmn.gov/1597/College-Street-Water-Street-Areas-Recons>
(See Attachment 2 for clickable link)
At the May 16, 2023 City Council meeting, the City Council passed Council Resolution 2023-046 which ordered the preparation of a feasibility report for this project. The proposed scope of the Project at that time included the following improvements: (Attachment 3)
• College Street from Woodley Street to Seventh Street (Street Reconstruction)
• Winona Street from Woodley Street to Seventh Street (Street Reconstruction)
• Ninth Street from College Street to Winona Street (Street Reconstruction)
• Eighth Street from College Street to Nevada Street (Street Reconstruction)
• Water Street from Linden Place to Woodley Street (Street Reconstruction)
• Sumner Street from Water Street to Division Street (Street Reconstruction)
• Fremont Street from Water Street to Division Street (Street Reconstruction)
• Spruce Court to Linden Place (Utility Improvements)
In addition to the Street Segments listed above, Staff referenced the approved Northfield Pedestrian, Bike, and Trail System Plan and the approved Pedestrian and Bicycle Analyzation Report for any proposed Sidewalk, On-Street Bikeways, Crossing Improvements, or Off-Street Trail/Path recommended in the plans. Staff will be including the following Walking and Biking/Pedestrian/Crossing Improvements in the Feasibility Report:
• College Street from Sumner Street to Woodley Street (Sidewalk Improvements)
• Winona Street from Sumner Street to Woodley Street (Sidewalk Improvements)
• Eighth Street from Water Street to Nevada Street (On-Street Bikeway)
• Eighth Street and Winona Street (Crossing Improvement)
• Woodley Street and College Street (Crossing Improvement)
• Linden Place and Water Street (Crossing Improvement)
When the feasibility report was ordered, there was a question related to why it is recommended to build a protected bikeway on Eighth Street when it is not a busy street and more residential. The City hired a nationally known Consulting Firm Alta Planning and Design to help the City improve on creating a connected all ages and ability (AAA) bikeway network throughout the City. The City has goals that call for the City to create safe walking and biking space for users of AAA. To achieve an AAA bike facility, the reports recommends the bike facility should be separated from vehicle traffic with vertical and horizontal separation.
The two-way separated bikeway is recommended for the City, as it will establish continuity in the bikeway network. The report does not recommend doing shared streets, as that lacks continuity with the network.
Staff held a neighborhood meeting on Wednesday August 16, 2023 to discuss the project as a whole. At this meeting, Staff requested feedback on the options listed above. Staff also mailed out a questionnaire with the Neighborhood meeting invitation requesting feedback about the upcoming project which is included in the Feasibility Report. Staff held an additional Neighborhood Meeting on September 20, 2023. This meeting shared a more detailed project scope which included larger scale layouts of the project areas.
Staff also discussed the project at the September 12, 2023 City Council work session. At that meeting, the following issues were brought forth for additional clarity:
Eighth Street
City Council requested that the parking lanes on Eighth Street be widened from 7’ to 8’. Staff looked at the corridor, and did adjust the parking along all of Eighth Street to 8’.
Staff also looked at the remaining corridor from College Street to Poplar Street to evaluate if the proposed design with the off-street separated bikeway would work in this area. There is space within the right-of-way to construct an off-street bikeway as part of a future reconstruction project for this portion of 8th Street. The existing sidewalks could be reconstructed in place and the roadway narrowed to 32 feet creating space for a 10-footwide bikeway to be constructed on the north side of the road. This option would result in significant boulevard impacts on the north side, although these impacts cannot definitively be determined at this time.
Alternative Options:
The City Council could delay this project; however, the street pavements in the area will require repair work in order to keep this area in a marginal condition for traffic.
Financial Impacts:
This project will be funded through a variety of sources including bonding, franchise fees, and enterprise funds - Storm Fund, Sanitary Fund, and Water Fund. Below are the estimated project costs, and funding tables at the time of the Feasibility Report, which include the 1% for the Arts.
Tentative Timelines:
See the attached project process (Attachment 4) which details the timeline for the 2024 College Street and Water Street Areas Reconstruction Project.