4.5. SR 03-17-1997ELK RIVER MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
322 King Avenue
Elk River, Minnesota 55330
Phone (612) 441-2020
Fax (612) 441-8099
14,1997
To: Elk River City Council
Hank Duitsman - Mayor
John Diem.
Daryl Thompson
Larry Farber
Roger Hokngren
From: Bryan C. Adams - General Manager
Elk River Municipal Utilities
Subject: Watermain Extension
Highland Avenue
The developments of Lafayette Woods and Nordic Woods will effect how the Elk River
Municipal Utilities operates the water distribution system. Because of the ground elevation of
these developments, they will ultimately be in the high pressure water zone in Elk River. As a
temporary measure, water pumping stations were made part of these two developments. These
water pumping stations take available water from the lower pressure zone and pressurize it to serve
the higher pressure zone of which these two developments are a part of.
The long term solution is to fie this area into the already existing high pressure water zone. This
is accomplished by installing a water main along Proctor Avenue and Highland Road as shown on
the attached marked-up map. The proposed water main is highlighted in blue. This area will then
be pressurized with the "Hillside" water tower and the two water pressure stations will be then
used for emergency purposes only. A side benefit to this project is the opportunity to provide
adequate fire protection to Salk Junior High School. Financing this project will be through bonds.
Enclosed is Maier Stewart & Associates (MSA) letter dated 1-10-97 reflecting the costs.
The Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission has authorized this project to be constructed this
year. MSA is doing the necessary design work. The water main is planned to be constructed on
the north side of Highland Avenue. As long as the Utilities will be disrupting this area for this
construction, does the City of Elk River have any desire to install sewer or sidewalk? Does the
City have any other requirements?
If you have any questions about the above, do not hesitate to call.
cc: Pat Klaers
Loft Johnson
File
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1326 Energy Park Drive
St. Paul, MN 55108
612-644-4389
1-800-888-2923
Fax: 612-644-9446
January 10, 1997
File: 235-013-10
Mr. Bryan Adams
General Manager
Elk River Municipal Utilities
322 King Street
Elk River, MN 55330
RE: HIGHLAND ROAD TRUNK WATERMAIN EXTENSION
Dear Mr. Adams:
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ST. PAUL
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Please find enclosed for your review and comment, preliminary plans for the above-
referenced project. The plans include the following items:
1. Extension of 3,200 feet of 16" DIP watermain along Highland Road from Cottages
of Elk River to Proctor Street.
2. Extension of 1,200 feet of 16" DIP watermain along Proctor Street from Highland
Road to 195th Lane NW (Lafayette Woods).
3. Extension of 1,300 feet of 12" DIP watermain from Highland Road to Sauk Junior
High School.
From these preliminary plan sheets, a revised cost estimate has been prepared and is
shown below:
COST ESTIMATE
Highland Road
Proctor Street (N. of Highland Road)
Sauk Junior High School Watermain*
Total Estimated Construction Cost
28% Overhead
Total Estimated Project Cost
$250,000.00
77,000.00
83.000,00
$410,000.00
114.800,00
$524.800,00
* Sauk Junior High School watermain should be paid for by.the School District ·
because it provides direct fire flow benefit.
Mr. Bryan Adams
January 8, 1997
Page Two
You will note this estimated cost is lower than the amount shown in the Northwest Area
Water Facilities Report of November 1996 for trunk watermain. This is due to less total
length of pipe and a more detailed estimate at this time.
It is our recommendation that the following issues be addressed prior to final completion
of the plan set:
1. Contact the School District and determine an agreement for extensioh of watermain
through school property.
2. Determine if the City Council wants to construct concrete sidewalk along Highland
Road as part of project restoration.
3. Present the project to the City Council to determine if sanitary sewer should be
considered along Highland Road as part of the project.
4. Coordinate construction of trunk watermain through Cottages of Elk River with the
Developer.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. We would like to meet
with you in the near future to discuss your ideas and review comments for incorporation
into the final design of the plan set.
Sincerely,
MSA, CONSULTING ENGINEER
TJM:tw
Enclosure
013-0806.jan
~ity of
MEMORANDUM
iver
Mayor & City Council
FROM:
DATE:
Pat Klaers, City Administra~tor
March 17, 1997
SUBJECT: Highland Avenue Watermain Project
The Municipal Utilities is proposing to construct a trunk water line project in
and along the north side of Highland Avenue from Proctor Road to Jackson
Avenue. This project will improve the overall water system and delay the
need for a water tower in the northwest area.
With the installation of water on Highland Avenue the question is raised
regarding whether or not sewer should also be installed at this time. It is
usually desirable to have both municipal utilities installed at one time, but
the installation of sewer is not recommended at this time based on a lack of
need for the project, no desire on the city's part to assess out the cost of the
sewer project, and no desire on the city's part to "hold" the cost of the sewer
until it is assessed out to benefited property owners. It should be noted that
there are no plans to assess the water improvement to the benefited property
owners, but if and when sewer is installed and assessed, then the water
lateral benefit will also be assessed to benefited property owners.
The Utilities are asking the city to issue a G.O. Revenue Bond for this
project. Formal action is necessary to comply with this request. The Utilities
want to bid out and award this project as soon as possible.
Since water is going to be installed in and along the north side of Highland
this summer, it is also relevant for the City Council to discuss the need and
cost of a sidewalk along this route. The cost of the sidewalk for one side of
the road is in the $50-$55,000 range. There is not a substantial savings for
installing the sidewalk in conjunction with this project. A sidewalk cost is
about $16 per running foot, and doing the sidewalk project on the north side
of Highland in conjunction with the watermain work would cost the city
about $13 per running foot. For the 3500 feet of sidewalk on the north side of
Highland, this amounts to about a $10,000 savings. There is no south
Highland sidewalk cost savings for doing the work in conjunction with this
project.
It is known that there is a desire for a sidewalk along Highland, but there are
lots of areas in the city where new or reconstructed sidewalks are desired. If
13065 Orono Parkway ° P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 ° (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
the city is to finance this expense or share this expense with property owners
through an assessment project, then the city should look at this project in the
context of the entire city street and sidewalk needs along with the available
dollars to meet these needs. If the sidewalk is to be partly assessed out, then
there may be less of a desire for this improvement.
Regarding the need for sidewalks in the city, I think that you can look at
almost any area in the old core village and see a need for new or replaced
sidewalks. Areas that immediately come to mind include the sections of the
city both east and west of the library, the Railroad Drive area, and the area
south of School Street east of Jackson Avenue. Because the trunk water
improvement project does not significantly reduce the cost of the sidewalk,
the city can wait to do the project until it has looked at other areas of the city;
unless the sidewalk project is going to be 100 percent assessed out to
benefited property owners. The financing of a sidewalk on Highland may
have an impact on how other sidewalks are financed throughout the city.
Highland was removed from the MSA system a few years ago, so no MSA
funding is available for the sidewalk. The city finances its share of street and
sidewalk projects from the capital project reserve fund. Improvements that
have been authorized which will come from the capital projects reserve in
1997, include: Lowell Street (city's share $47,000); Joplin Street south of
County Road 30 (city's share $101,000); Joplin Street/Highway 10
intersection and signal (city's share $76,000); and north Highway 10 frontage
road at Joplin Street (city's share $81,000). Additionally, other discussed
projects which have not been ordered include: Jarvis and 156th (city's share is
unknown); railing on the south side of the bridge at the Lake Orono dam
(city's share $21,000); and the Dodge Avenue/5th Street project ($400,000
project of which the city's share is $265,000).
All of the above information is being provided in order to make the City
Council aware that there is a lot of capital improvements going on which
have already been ordered and there is a limited amount of funds available
for these types of projects. Without getting into too much detail at this time,
I think it is safe to say that money is tight for the city to fund a Highland
sidewalk project. The City Council should get together in a CIP worksession
to review where we are at and what additional projects the Council wants to
undertake as it relates to available funding for projects. Accordingly, staff
recommends that any sidewalk to be installed along Highland be delayed
until further review by the Council takes place. On the other hand, if the
City Council wants to assess out the sidewalk project, then we are talking
about the project of a different nature which could move forward at any time.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion authorizing the
trunk water improvement project.
It is recommended that the city take no action on installing sewer with this
water project and that the sidewalk project be delayed until future Council
review can take place.
s:kcouncilXhighland.doc