5.2. SR 05-08-2006
Item 5.2.
13065 Orono Park-way
Elk River. MN 55330
May 8, 2006
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, Iv1N 55330
RE: 'TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
Dear Council Members:
An update of the various transportation projects has been scheduled for the Monday, May 8,
2006 City Council worksession. One of the specific items that was requested to be updated
is the Jackson Avenue/School Street signalization and intersection geometries issue. Since I
v.rill be in attendance to provide information regarding this proposed project, I thought I
would take this opportunity to provide at least a written update of all other transportation
issues including projects currently under contract, projects in the plming stage, and projects
being coordinated by other entities. These updates are as follows:
1. Dodge Avenue/Waco Street Improvement
Construction began on Dodge Avenue approximately t\Vo weeks ago. The contractor is
very near placing the new concrete curb and gutter which v.rill be followed by the gravel
base and first lift of blacktop. We would anticipate that the roadway will be back in a
hard surface format in the next week or two. In approximately two weeks, the
contractor will move to Waco Street and work v.rill begin on that portion.
2. School Street/High School Parking Lot Signalization
The contract for this project has been awarded and the material has been ordered. A
preconstruction meeting v.rill be scheduled for the latter part of May so that construction
is ready to begin as soon as the school year is over. Construction will consist of some
minor improvements to the high school parking lot driveway entrance, placement of
concrete bases for the signal poles, and the necessary wiring. As with all signal projects,
this work will be done and in place long before the signal equipment will arrive at the
site. Once the signal equipment is available, it v.rill take approximately two days for the
signal to be installed and operational. Weare very hopeful that the equipment will arrive
and the signal can be operational before the beginning of the fall school year.
Phone: 763.635.1000
Fax: 763.635.1090
www.ci.elk-river.mn.us
Transportation Update
May 4, 2006
Page 2
3. Highland Avenue Improvement
As the Council is aware, the authorization to bid this project was just given and the
assessment hearing is scheduled for the May 15th City Council meeting. Bids will be
opened in late May and be available for the first Council meeting in June. This would
allow work to begin soon after the end of the school year so that the majority of the
work can be done while school is not in session.
4. 2006 Bituminous Overlay
Preparation of plans and specifications and bidding has been authorized by the City
Council in anticipation of a June 19th public hearing! assessment hearing. We are
working on the preparation of the assessment roll and the information for mailing to the
public at the beginning of June.
5. Naples Street/186th Avenue Improvement
As directed by the City Council, we are in the process of obtaining quotes from an
appraiser to provide the City information relative to the maximum amount of assessment
the properties can support. Once the hired appraiser provides information to staff, we
will update the City Council and seek direction as to whether to move to public hearing,
abandon the project, or call for another informational meeting with the property owners.
6. 193rd Avenue Corridor Study
Since the City Council gave direction to do a preliminary design on the most northerly
option for a roadway corridor from Woods at Hillside to CSAH 13, we have been
meeting with individual property owners, discussing potential options and receiving
information regarding their properties. We have also been soliciting permission for
survey crews and wetland delineators to access private property. We will pull together
additional topographic and wetland information and begin a layout. We will continue to
have dialogue with individual property owners as we proceed through the preliminary
design. We anticipate that it will take 60 - 90 days to complete the preliminary design, at
which time we will report back to the City Council and seek direction to proceed to a
public hearing to make a decision on a roadway corridor.
7. County Highway 40 Improvement
As I have reported to the City Council earlier, we have acquired all the necessary right of
way for the County Highway 40 Improvement. We have met with the County numerous
times through the design phase and the preliminary design has been submitted to
MnDOT to begin the initial review of the plans. I have recently been working with the
County Public Works Director regarding firming up the agreement between the City and
the County. Once I have seen a completed agreement for cost sharing on County
Highway 40, I will put it on an available City Council meeting agenda for Council
discussion. Because of the Federal funding on County Highway 40, a bid date will be set
by MnDOT after plans are finally approved. I would anticipate that the bid date would
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be in late summer with some work beginning in 2006, but the majority of the work
would be completed in 2007.
8. CSAH 33/County Road 77 Improvement
This also is a County Federally funded project. Plans have been submitted to MnDOT
to begin the initial review. This is the project that includes the pedestrian tunnel under
CSAH 33 along the Railroad Trail. We have worked will Bill Maertz and County staff to
coordinate the design and placement of the pedestrian trail. I anticipate that an
agreement will be coming forward from the County soon, relative to cost participation in
this project for the pedestrian trail. I will present it to the City Council as soon as it
becomes available. Again, because of the Federal funding, the bid date will be set by
MnDOT. I would anticipate a very similar process to County Highway 40, in that the
bid will likely be in late summer with some work beginning in 2006 and the bulk of the
project being constructed in 2007.
9. TH 169 Geometric and Environmental Study
Based on the resolution recently adopted by the City Council, we will be meeting with
representatives of MnDOT on Monday, May 8, 2006 to negotiate details for the
parameters set in the recent City Council resolution. Once we have firmed up these
details, we will present them to the City Council for the final commitment regarding the
funding of the highway study.
10. 2007 Street Reconstruction Improvements
As has been the City's practice, 2007 will be another street reconstruction year. City staff
has been discussion two possible locations for street reconstruction in 2007; these being
the Deerfield 3rd Addition area and the area lying east of Jackson Avenue and south of
School Street. We will prepare some ballpark estimates relative to improvement costs
and assessable properties for presentation to the City Council in the fall of 2006, seeking
direction on which projects to proceed with for the 2007 construction season.
11. School Street/] ackson Avenue Intersection Geometries
In some of the various transportation discussions that have taken place over the last 18
months, the City Council has asked us to take a look at the geometries and signalization
at the School Street/J ackson Avenue intersection and return with reconunendations
relative to potential changes to the signal and/or roadway geometric layouts. We took
an initial look at this area 12 - 18 months ago, but the project was placed on the back
burner at staff's recommendation, due to the Jackson Villa townhouse project on the
west side of J ackson Avenue. There is a significant amount of unsuitable material which
needs to be removed from that site and a corresponding amount of good material hauled
into the site. Staff's concern was that all this trucking activity would have a negative
impact on the re-striping of J ackson Avenue. We have heard various rumors about the
Jackson Villas project beginning soon, although have not received any firm
commitments from the developer and/or his contractor. Therefore, unless directed
differently by the City Council, staff is prepared to begin in earnest looking at the
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Transportation Update
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operation of the signal system and potential geometric alignment changes to the
intersection and entering legs. What we are proposing to do is a brief intersection
analysis, counting vehicles on the entering legs and turning movements. From this we
will make recommendations relative to signal improvements which would likely consist
of adding left turn arrows to one or both of the legs which currently do not have them.
The other geometrics we are considering as discussed previously with the City Council
would be the re-striping of Jackson Avenue south of School Street to a three..lane
configuration; one lane in each direction and a center left-turn lane. This would
eliminate any on..street parking on the east side of the roadway (currently, the west side
of the roadway is signed "no parking"). The reason for this change is two-fold: with the
Jackson Villa project there will be a significant number of left turns in an out of this
development, and the school traffic has a significant impact on left turns in the a.m.
peak. A center left-turn lane would provide for a long queuing area for these left turns at
various times of the day. With this possible change to the striping configuration south
of School Street, there will need to be some striping changes on Jackson Avenue north
of School Street to create a left-turn lane which would geometrically be opposite the
center left-turn lane on the southerly leg. This re-striping on the north would provide
two additional benefits. First, it would create a dedicated left-turn lane needed if a left-
turn arrow were to be added to the northern leg of the intersection, and it eliminates the
two-lane northern leg with the lane drop on the southern leg which has created a
difficult merging situation.
If the City Council concurs with this approach, we will proceed to get the intersection
analysis done and prepare a preliminaty layout for geometric changes through striping on
J ackson Avenue. As directed previously by the City Council, we will work through the
HRA for issues dealing with the redevelopment of north of Highway 10. Finally, we will
need some direction from the City Council as to what involvement you would like to see
with property owners on the east side of J ackson Avenue relative to the elimination of
on-street parking.
If you have any questions regarding any of these items or any additional items you would like
me to be prepared to discuss, please call.
Sincerely,
/;--
/~rp4~
Teny J. Maurer, PE
City Engineer
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