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 d...
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