City Council Meeting Date: December 3, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Sean Simonson, Engineering Manager
David E. Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Subject:
TITLE
Consider Approving Plans and Specifications and Order Advertisement for Bids for the Wall Street Road Improvements Project.
BODY
Action Requested:
The City Council considers approval of the attached Resolution approving the plans and specifications and authorizing the advertisement for bids for the Wall Street Road Improvements Project (2022STRT-A70).
Summary Report:
The City Council is asked to pass a resolution approving the plans and specifications and authorizing the advertisement for bids for the Wall Street Road Improvements Project (2022STRT-A70). This project includes the following streets (Attachment 2):
• Wall Street Road from Fourth Street to approximately 560’ east of the intersection of Rosewood Road.
The City Council approved the Feasibility Report at the June 20, 2023, City Council meeting. The Feasibility Report included a base street design to be constructed to a minimum typical section width of 70-feet between 4th Street E and Spring Creek Road, including clear zone(s). The roadway includes B618 curb and gutter on either side and will be constructed to a 32-foot width (from face to face) including two 12-foot drive lanes and two 4-foot shoulders on either side. Rice County’s standard lane width is 12-feet, and the additional shoulder width is included to provide space for cyclists who prefer to use the street, potential vehicle breakdowns, emergency vehicles, and maintenance operations. The north side of the roadway includes a 5- foot turf boulevard, a 10-foot two-way bikeway, a 4-foot turf boulevard, a 6-foot concrete sidewalk, and a 5-foot turf area for clear zone and private utility installations. The south side of the roadway includes a 5-foot turf boulevard for clear zone, snow storage, and private utility installations.
There have been some changes to the project since the approval of the Feasibility Report. Rice County applied for and received $784,540 from the MnDOT Local Bridge Replacement Project (LBRP) Grant program. Rice County has since split that work out of this plan design, and has bid the project separately, however, the funding for the project is still included in this overall project. Bids for that project are scheduled to be opened on December 3, 2024 by the Rice County Highway Department.
In addition to the bridge project, additional changes were made to the Future Mill Towns State Trail Plaza’s (Attachment 3) located at the intersection of Wall Street Road and Spring Creek Road. At the direction of the City Council at the June 11, 2024, City Council meeting, these plazas were made smaller to lessen the impacts to the Carleton College Arboretum and golf course side Carleton College is in agreement with the new plaza design and has granted temporary and permanent easements for the project.
In addition to the easements mentioned above, Rice County has successfully acquired all the temporary and permanent easements apart from Parcel 04.32.3.75.001, (Attachment 4) to complete the improvement project, however, Rice County has indicated that negotiations are nearing completion with the property owner and will be completed by the time of Project Award.
Alternative Options:
The City Council could delay this project; however, the road systems will continue to deteriorate and will require significant maintenance in order to provide a marginal condition for traffic.
Financial Impacts:
Below are the estimated total project costs, and the estimated total project funding, including the 1% Art Funding Allocation:
Tentative Timelines:
The bids will be received on January 2, 2025, with projected award on January 7, 2025. Construction would occur during the 2025 Construction Season (Attachment 5).