City Council Meeting Date: March 7, 2017
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 Updated Feasibility Report and Call for Improvement Hearing - 2017 Street Reclamation Project.
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the Resolution accepting the feasibility report and calling for the improvement hearing for the 2017 Street Reclamation Project (STRT2017-A36).
Summary Report:
The feasibility report has been completed and updated to include sidewalk on Marvin Lane, and finds that the 2017 Street Reclamation Project is necessary, feasible and cost effective. See attachments for the project process (Attachment 2) and location map (Attachment 3). A link to the Feasibility Report is below:
<http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/index.aspx?NID=1083>
(See attachment 4 for clickable link)
The next step in moving this project forward is for the City Council to receive the feasibility report and call for a public hearing on the improvements.
On December 6, 2016 the City Council passed Council Resolution 2016-116 which ordered the preparation of a feasibility report for this project. The proposed scope of the Reclamation Project includes the following streets:
1. Maple Street from Woodley Street to Ninth Street (including sidewalk)
2. Ninth Street from Maple Street to Nevada Street (including sidewalk)
3. Nevada Street from Ninth Street to Seventh Street (including sidewalk)
4. Bunday Court
5. Hillside Court
6. Professional Drive from Woodley Street to TH 3 Service Road
7. Marvin Lane from Washington Street to Division Street(including sidewalk)
8. Sibley View Lane from Jefferson Parkway to Sibley View Court
9. Sibley View Court
There has been one neighborhood meeting which was held on December 14, 2016. An Improvement Hearing was also held at the January 17, 2017 City Council Meeting. At this meeting, the possibility of adding sidewalk on the Marvin Lane portion of the Project Corridor was discussed. This added improvement was not part of the original Feasibility Report, and therefore could not be added to the project at that time. City Council passed Motion 17-682 at the February 21, 2017 meeting directing Staff to update the 2017 Street Reclamation Feasibility Report to incorporate sidewalk on Marvin Lane.
Existing Conditions/Proposed Improvements
The properties adjacent to the project area consist primarily of single-family homes and commercial areas. The area is fully developed and in most areas there are mature trees. Sidewalks exist in portions of the project, but are missing in several areas.
All streets within the project area are classified as local roadways. Along with public utilities in the project area, other private utilities include overhead and underground power, gas, telephone and cable television lines.
Streets
All the streets in the project area are bituminous with concrete curb and gutter. The widths vary from 28’ to 39’. All streets are aged and exhibit wear and distress to different degrees. The pavement is generally in fair to poor condition with significant transverse and longitudinal cracking, alligator cracking, potholes, and rutting. Some street segments have significant settlements, which allow water to pond, infiltrate and weaken the subgrade. This has led to frost heaving, and additional transverse cracking during freeze-thaw cycles.
Full depth reclamation is planned for the streets on all portions of the 2017 Street Reclamation Project. No change in horizontal alignment is planned, and the curb and gutter, which will have as-needed spot repairs, will remain in place where street narrowing for sidewalk installations is not planned.
Water
As-built information indicates there is currently 6” - 8” cast iron pipe (CIP) and ductile iron pipe (DIP). All pipes were found to be in good operating condition.
The Utility Department has requested that a City standard fire hydrant be installed in Hillside Court due to the current lack of a hydrant for that area. Gate valve box replacement is also anticipated on existing gate valves throughout the entire project corridor.
Sanitary Sewer
The sanitary sewer mains again exhibit a mixture of materials, sizes and ages. The sizes range from 6” to 8” and are constructed of VCP (vitrified clay pipe) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Televising of the system has been completed in the entire project corridor.
Minor root intrusion has been discovered in the Maple Street, Ninth Street, and Nevada Street area. This area has been noted as a future Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) lining project. CIPP lining is a trenchless repair that can be completed without excavation; therefore it can be performed at a later date. Additionally, the Utilities Department has also noted the need to replace an existing “lamphole” manhole in the Maple Street, Ninth Street, and Nevada Street area with a City standard 48” sanitary manhole for better access for required maintenance practices. Sanitary manhole casting replacements are also anticipated throughout the project area for manholes that do not currently have a City standard manhole casting.
Storm Sewer
The existing storm sewer systems consists generally of 12” Reinforced Concrete Pipe. (RCP) Staff has inspected the storm sewer systems on the entire project corridor and noted replacement of one structure, and general maintenance such as re-grouting structures, adjusting castings, and updating all non-current castings to City standard castings throughout the project corridor. Staff also anticipates the re-location of additional structures where curb lines are removed to accommodate proposed sidewalks.
Sidewalks
Currently, existing sidewalks are located along the east side of Sibley View Lane from Jefferson Parkway to Sunny View Drive. There are no other sidewalks located along the project corridor.
It is identified to install sidewalk along both sides of Maple Street, Ninth Street, and Nevada Street from Woodley Street to Seventh Street consistent with recommendations that are part of the 2009 Safe Routes to School Study (SRTS). However, due to limited right-of-way (ROW) on Maple Street from Ninth Street to Woodley Street on the east side of the road, sidewalk installations in this area, if installed, would have to be directly behind the curb to allow placement within the dedicated ROW. During design, staff will review moving the east curb line in on Maple Street from Ninth Street to Woodley Street. This would allow for a 5 foot boulevard and that street segment would go from 36 feet wide to 32 feet wide.
Additionally, sidewalk installations along the west side of Nevada Street from Nevada Court to Seventh Street will need additional Engineering analysis due to some significant grade differences between the existing street elevations and the existing properties, and numerous mature trees. This area would require some significant construction impacts such as retaining walls, driveway reconstructions, and numerous tree removals to accommodate sidewalk construction in this area. Alternately, Staff will also look at removing the existing curb in this area, narrowing the street to a 32 foot wide corridor, and place sidewalks directly behind the curb, to lessen the impact on the existing trees. Sidewalks, should they be installed in other areas not noted above, would be installed in a manner similar to other recent sidewalks with a meandering alignment so as to reduce the impact to existing trees or adjustment of existing private utility lines.
The City of Northfield is currently in the final stages of an Intersection Control Evaluation of the intersection of Jefferson Parkway and Truck Highway (TH) 246. Part of the intersection study also analyzed accesses to the Northfield High School, including the current access on TH 246. As a result of this study, it was proposed to add a pedestrian crossing at the north property line of the school to line up with the existing sidewalk access along the School’s northern property line. Along with the pedestrian crossing, it was proposed to add a sidewalk from the proposed pedestrian crossing on the east side of TH 246 to Marvin Lane as part of the Jefferson Parkway and TH 246 Intersection Control Evaluation. Therefore, with the 2017 Street Reclamation Project, it is suggested to install a sidewalk on the South Side of Marvin Lane from TH 246 to Washington Street as a future link to the proposed sidewalk recommended as part of the Jefferson Parkway TH 246 Intersection Control Evaluation. This directive was also included in Motion 17-682, which was passed at the February 21, 2017 City Council Meeting.
Also, existing sidewalk pedestrian ramps will be updated to comply with the latest Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, and spot repairs of failing sidewalk sections will be performed.
As a result of the anticipated construction activities and based on the forester’s report, tree removals have been recommended throughout the proposed project corridor where sidewalks are proposed to be installed. Additionally, staff anticipates that there will be some recommended pruning performed due to the size of the construction equipment that will be used and the excessive tree damage that could be caused. As in the past, the design will make efforts to keep the tree impacts to a minimum, and if removed we have planned for a 2 to 1 tree replacement.
Staff recommends that a public hearing be held regarding the improvements noted. This will allow the Engineering Department to proceed with the design for the project.
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 assessments, enterprise funds, and bonding. The Current CIP indicates limited use of bonding, however during the preparation of the feasibility report staff found that cost for Maple Street and Marvin Lane area didn’t provide for enough funding for sidewalks. The City currently has a rolling debt schedule that is used to fund street improvements; this year $600,000 is available under the current budget and levy. This provides enough funding for this project.
A Benefit Appraisal was performed by a licensed certified general real property appraiser. This Benefit Assessment calculates an opinion of the special value benefits, if any, accruing to the subject properties resulting from the proposed Reclamation Project. Staff recommends using a combination of a Front Foot Method for all parcels of the project excluding the properties owned by Dokmo Ford Chrysler. These lots, Staff suggests using the Per Lot Method of assessment, which is consistent with the completed 2017 Street Reclamation Benefit Appraisal.
Based on the preliminary cost estimate and the available funding for this project, staff is recommending that this project proceed as identified, including the sidewalk on both sides of Maple Street, Ninth Street, and Nevada Street, and on the south side of Marvin Lane.
The Tables below shows the proposed estimated costs and funding for the project.
|
ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS |
|
Section |
Maple Street, Ninth Street, Nevada Street Area |
Professional Drive |
Marvin Lane |
Sibley View Area |
Total |
|
Construction |
$414,505 |
$121,036 |
$93,064 |
$110,956 |
$739,461 |
|
Construction Contingency (10%) |
$41,441 |
$12,104 |
$9,306 |
$11,096 |
$73,946 |
|
Total Construction |
$455,846 |
$133,140 |
$102,370 |
$122,052 |
$813,407 |
|
Overhead (15%) |
$68,377 |
$19,971 |
$15,356 |
$18,308 |
$122,011 |
|
Total Project Costs |
$524,223 |
$153,110 |
$117,726 |
$140,359 |
$935,418 |
|
TOTAL PROJECT FUNDING |
|
|
2017 CIP |
FEASIBILITY ESTIMATE |
|
Bonding* |
$2613 CIP $600,000 |
$394,252 |
|
Assessments** |
$435,305 |
$479,896 |
|
Storm Fund |
$20,755 |
$21,505 |
|
Sanitary Fund |
$3,744 |
$24,200 |
|
Water Fund |
$0 |
$15,565 |
|
TOTAL FUNDING |
$500,812 $1,059,804 |
$935,418 |
*$600,000 is available in the current budget and levy which bring the total project funding available to $1,059,804.
**Assessment estimates were calculated using the mid-point of rates from the Benefit Appraisal. Updated funding will be calculated once Assessment Rates are adopted by Council.
Tentative Timelines:
See the attached project process (Attachment 2) which details the timeline for the 2017 Street Reclamation Project. This process has been developed and refined over the course of several years. It accounts for all the required actions by City Council to ensure that Minnesota Statute Chapter 429 procedures are followed so that assessments for local improvements may be levied to abutting benefiting properties.