5.1. SR 10-12-1998I'l'EM #5.1.
Howard R, Green Company
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
October 5, 1998
File: 801760J-0060
Formerly MSA
Consulting Engineers
Mr. Pat Klaers
City Administrator
City of Elk River
13065 'Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
RE: TRUNK HIGHWAY 10/171sT AVENUE SIGNALIZATION UPDATE
Dear Mr. Klaers:
This letter is intended to give you an update on the status of the signalization
improvements at the intersection of Trunk Highway 10 and 171s' Avenue. Last week,
we met with representatives of Mn/DOT from District 3 in Brainerd and the Metro District
in Golden Valley. There has been some confusion over the last couple of months as to
which Mn/DOT district would oversee this signalization project. As you are aware, all of
Elk River is within Mn/DOT District 3 out of Brainerd for financing, however Trunk
Highway 10 east of the Trunk Highway 101/Trunk Highway 169 interchange is in the
Metro District for maintenance and operations purposes. Mn/DOT has decided that the
Metro office out of Golden Valley will oversee this project, and that Brainerd will simply
provide the financing to Golden Valley to be distributed as needed.
Unfortunately, Golden Valley's process for review and approval of the plans and the
preparation of the signal agreement is lengthier than what we are used with the
Brainerd office of Mn/DOT. We anticipate that it will take until January to have
approved plans and an agreement that will allow us to bid this project. Therefore, the
project would likely be bid in February of 1999. This should not cause a lengthy delay
in the installation of an operational signal at this intersection, since a project awarded in
February will allow the Contractor to receive all of the necessary equipment by Spring,
at which time the signal could be put into operation. As you know, we had hoped that
the project would be let this Fall, with the wiring and concrete bases installed before
Winter freeze-up, and the signal equipment installed in the Spring of 1999.
One good thing to come out of our meeting is an agreement that Mn/DOT will pay 60%
of all improvements, including the signal and driveway closure at Houle's, and the
installation of the concrete median along 171s~ Avenue. We had originally thought that
the split would be 50/50 on the signal, and the City would pay 100% for the driveway
closure and median installation. The one catch that will go along with the 60/40 split is
that in the future, when a fourth leg is developed into Scott Powell's property, minor
modifications needed to the signal system will be at the expense of the City of Elk
River, with no Mn/DOT participation.
\\Elkriver~ys\SH RDOC~ADMIN\760-0501 .DOC
1326 Energy Park Drive · St, Paul, MN 55108 ° 612/644-4389 fax 612/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389
Mr. Pat Klaers
October 5, 1998
Page 2
If you have any questions regarding this project or the schedule, please call.
Sincerely,
Howard R. Green Company
Terry J. Maurer, P.E.
TJM/st
Howard R, Green Company
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