Pete Carlson, SEH engineer, explained the project, the first phase of a 10-year plan, to the council at its Wednesday night meeting.
The project involves six streets:
1) Stearns Avenue from Highway 23 to James Street, street reconstruction;
2) Hudson Street from Wendell Street to Highway 23, bituminous overlay;
3) Wendell Street from Belmont Street to Stearns Avenue, water, sewer and street reconstruction;
4) Augusta Avenue from Highway 23 to Mill Street, water, sewer and street reconstruction;
5) Washburne Avenue from Mill Street to First Street, water, sewer and street reconstruction; and
6) Main Street from Stearns Avenue to Lake Street, water, sewer and street reconstruction.
“One problem we will encounter on several of these streets is they have large mature trees which are heaving up the sidewalks and pushing out the curbs,” Carlson told the council. “On Washburne Avenue we could possibly save some trees by adjusting the roadway.”
Another issue raised was that several streets are narrow (20 feet from edge to edge of tar) and would need to be widened to 36 feet (Wendell, Main and Hudson streets). Plans are to widen Washburne Avenue to 40 feet. Augusta Avenue is at 53 feet and the street will be left at that width.
Widening Main Street will bring significant change to the elementary school. Currently, it appears the chain link fence along the school property is 20 feet within the street right-of-way. The project calls for Main Street to be centered within the existing street right-of-way. Therefore, the majority of pavement widening will occur on the north side of the street (school side).
Total estimated cost of the project is $931,622. Carlson suggested the council average out the entire project and assess property owners at $45 per foot. “The cost of the project is relatively the same as the Minnesota Street project,” Carlson said.
“As we reconstruct the streets, we will attempt to correct drainage problems where we can,” Carlson informed the council.
In other business, Carlson explained the new west end lift station project. “Instead of digging out the existing lift station, we plan on eliminating the equipment and will fill in the old one with sand. The new lift station would be constructed on the north side of Minnesota Avenue, across the roadway from the old one,” he said. The final cost estimated for the west end lift station is $48,000. The council set June 24 as the bid opening date.
•Carlson also explained the preliminary plat for the Diekmann Business Park (airport property). The streets are being established to serve as extensions of the existing streets west of Highway 23. By the June 11 council meeting, the final plat will be ready for inspection by the council.