City Council Meeting Date: November 4, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: David E. Bennett - Public Works Director/City Engineer
Sean M. Simonson - Engineering Manager
Subject:
TITLE
Consider Motion Authorizing Submittal of Application for the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Grant - Lincoln Parkway Walking and Biking Improvement Project.
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the Motion authorizing submittal of application for the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Grant - Lincoln Parkway Walking and Biking Improvement Project.
Summary Report:
Staff would like to highlight that a pre-recorded presentation has been added for Council members to view prior to the meeting. This new initiative is intended to provide additional background and context to assist the Council in preparing for policy review. It also serves to enhance transparency and provide the public with additional context that may improve opportunities for informed comment.
At the meeting, staff will provide a brief presentation summarizing the key points of the application to re-establish context. This approach is designed to improve meeting efficiency and allow more time for Council deliberation and discussion.
As always, staff encourages individual Council members to submit questions in advance that may assist in understanding or preparing for policy action. Please email your questions to the memo authors (Mr. Bennett and Mr. Simonson) and copy City Administrator Martig, City Clerk Peterson, and Deputy Clerk Hoffman. Staff will respond individually and may determine whether certain questions or responses should be shared with the full Council for clarification. If so, that information will be incorporated into a supplemental memo, without identifying the source of the question unless relevant.
Staff is working to enhance the professionalism of these new processes as they are implemented. We recognize there are areas for improvement-such as the staff video in this item being inadvertently cut off-and those issues are being corrected for future presentations.
For questions regarding this background information, please contact City Administrator Martig.
This prerecorded presentation includes the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Grant - Lincoln Parkway Walking and Biking Improvement Project, the Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) Grant - TH 3 Trail, and the Highway Safety Improvements Program (HSIP) Grant Program - TH 246 & CSAH 1 Roundabout. However, due to the various nuances of each grant, staff proposes that each individual agenda item allow for Council questions and discussion and public comment.
Background
For the 2025/26 application cycle, MnDOT is conducting a solicitation for Transportation Alternatives (TA) projects (Attachment 2). The TA funding available through this solicitation is for project construction in fiscal year 2030. TA funding requires a 20 percent local match. Maximum funding awards are set by each Area Transportation Partnership.
The Transportation Alternatives Solicitation is a competitive grant opportunity for local communities and regional agencies to fund projects for pedestrian and bicycle facilities, historic preservation, Safe Routes to School and more. Minnesota will be soliciting projects for approximately $12.5 million in available grant funding across the state where the total is sub-targeted to the seven area transportation partnerships (ATP). The City of Northfield is in the Southeast Minnesota ATP, where $2,100,000 is available for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2030.
The City of Northfield completed a Corridor Analysis on Lincoln Parkway (Attachment 3), and City Council accepted this study at the February 20, 2024, City Council Meeting via Resolution 2024-019. This resolution also authorized staff to explore grant opportunities and funding partnerships for the improvements. The corridor analysis identified a preferred roadway improvement option for the entire corridor, which included four phases of construction. This grant application would address Phase 2 of the corridor analysis on Lincoln Parkway from Cannon Valley Place to Dresden Avenue. The proposed improvement includes:
• Pavement Mill and Overlay
• Off-street bikeway (north side)
• Curb extensions
In addition to the proposed work approved with the corridor analysis, this grant application is proposed to include an off-street bikeway on Lincoln Parkway from Cannon Valley Place to Greenvale Avenue, and on Spring Street from Dresden Avenue to Greenvale Avenue. This off-street bikeway would be built in what is the current parking lane on Lincoln Parkway/Spring Street (Attachment 1).
Alternative Options:
Council could not elect to submit for this project grant.
Financial Impacts:
The total project costs are estimated to be $3,842,164. for this project. This grant requires a 20% local match commitment to receive the grant. The City of Northfield would propose to use its State-Aid Funding to cover the City of Northfield’s portion of the project costs. See the table below for the proposed project costs and project funding.
Tentative Timelines:
Letter of Intent Due: October 31, 2025
Council Action on Application: January 6, 2026
Grant Application Due January 9, 2026
Grant Award Notice March 30, 2026