BAXTER-It looks like repavement rather than reconstruction is in the future for the Memorywood Drive reconstruction project going forward.
The Baxter City Council voted unanimously, Tuesday, Dec. 18, to direct staff and engineers at Widseth Smith Nolting to move forward with plans using Option A (with the route being more or less simply repaved) instead of Option G (with the road expanded to accommodate more features). The decision, council members noted, flew in the face of the recommendation of some city residents who spoke during a special hearing on the matter Thursday, Dec. 13. At the time, those residents expressed support for Option G, although this was before Minnesota Department of Transportation officials ruled Option G would have to be wider to receive aid.
"Based on the concerns that I shared at the public meeting-and this (development) is additionally impacting-I was already uncomfortable with the 2-foot wider impact, just based on the proximity of driveways and garages," said council member Todd Holman, vouching for Option A.
"It doesn't sound like much, but for every foot (of pavement), we're going to impact some trees," Mayor Darrel Olson said. "There's going to be problems. I'm just not comfortable putting 2 more feet in there. I've said my piece from the start-I don't want to disrupt anyone there."
While it gives staff a direction to proceed, the ruling is non-binding. The council will formally vote on the matter and dictate the course of the project during a council meeting Jan. 8. Thus Option G-or an alternative plan-is still on the table, though the city has signaled its preference for Option A.
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Joining Holman and Olson at Tuesday's meeting were council members Steve Barrows and Quinn Nystrom. Council member Mark Cross was not present.
Option A
Option A would entail a full-depth reclamation. This means crews would reconstruct the roadway-essentially, chewing up the current roadway into a 7 1/2-inch layer of base material, with an additional 4 inches of bituminous pavement poured on top.
This would retain the road's width of 34 feet, though it would be reconstructed in a way that retains two 11-foot through lanes, as well as two 6-foot bike lanes. The plan would include the reconstruction of adjoining driveways to match the new height of the road. The plan also includes adding "No Parking" signs and would entail some property acquisition for site corners at Clearwater Road. The estimated cost is $2,215,190.
Option G
As originally discussed during the meeting Thursday, Dec. 13, Option G would have entailed a full-depth reclamation and include the construction of a 38-foot-wide roadway with an 8-foot-wide parking lane, 15-foot drive lane and an 11-foot drive lane, as well as a 4-foot designated bike lane. To accomplish this, crews would have to widen the roadway 2 more feet on each side.
Upon review by MnDOT, to make the roadway compliant for state financial aid, it would need to be widened to 39 feet and the bike lanes expanded from 5 feet to 6 feet in width. Going forward with the original Option G plan would require the city to do so without state aid. The estimated cost would be $2,385,675 for the 38-foot roadway or $2,405,675 for 39 feet.
In other business, the council:
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Approved an invoice for the Crow Wing County Highway Department for the 2018 citywide street striping in the amount of $30,493.74.
Approved an invoice to Anderson Brothers Construction Co. for projects involving widening a driveway in the amount of $3,636.
Approved a change order for the Landwehr Construction Inc. in the increased amount of $15,924.77 for the 2018 Cypress Drive improvements project.
Approved a partial pay estimate for Landwehr Construction Inc. in the amount of $322,032.85 for the 2018 Cypress Drive improvements project contingent on delivery of the extra 4-inch materials before the check is released.
Approved a change order for Pratt's Affordable Excavating Inc. in the increased amount of $16,157.76 for the 2018 Excelsior Road and Edgewood Drive commercial improvements project.
Approved a partial pay estimate for Pratt's Affordable Excavating, Inc. in the amount of $59,404.61 for the 2018 Excelsior Road and Edgewood Drive Commercial Improvements Project.
Approved a change order to Anderson Brothers to pave the wear course on Cedar Scenic Road in the spring of 2019 on or before the deadline of June 14, 2019, for the 2018 mill and overlay and full depth reclamation improvements project.
Approved a partial pay estimate for Anderson Brothers in the amount of $99,380.20 for the 2018 mill and overlay and full depth reclamation improvements project.
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Approved a final pay estimate for Tri-City Paving, Inc. in the amount of $32,230.83 for the 2017 mill and overlay and full depth reclamation improvements project and 2017 Excelsior Road residential full depth reclamation improvements project.
Approved a pay estimate for Crow Wing County in the amount of $115,260.51 for the 2017 County Highway 48 railroad crossing and trail improvements project.
Approved a partial pay estimate for Holden Electric in the amount of $22,500 for the water treatment plant generator improvements project.
Accepted an inspection report for the 1,250,000-gallon capacity east water tower and budget for the repairs in the 2022 budget cycle.
Approved the professional services agreement for civil engineering firm AE2S for the Cypress Drive Storm Sewer Station No. 2 supervisor control and data acquisition monitoring programming in the amount of $8,650.
Adopted the 2019 mileage reimbursement rate of 58 cents per mile in line with IRS regulation.
Accepted a $145 donation to the Baxter Police Department from Glen Bauer of Cobb, Calif.
