A Dec. 7 public hearing will possibly result in the approval of the proposed layout of the South Sixth Street reconstruction project, slated for 2017.
Monday, Jim Hallgren, Minnesota Department of Transportation project manager, updated the Brainerd City Council on the status of the project and the council set the Dec. 7 public hearing.
Hallgren said MnDOT was ready to move forward with the project, which requires municipal consent from the city of Brainerd. Municipal consent requires holding a public hearing, thus the Dec. 7 public hearing.
"We are at that point where we need to start wrapping up the discussion of the project," Hallgren said. "And formalize it with municipal consent."
The concept includes the council's recommendation to include three- and five-lane layouts for the street. The south portion of the street to Quince Street will be three lanes, and from Quince Street north to Highway 210 will be five lanes. For the five-lane section, the outer lanes will mostly serve as auxiliary, or turn lanes.
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Hallgren said MnDOT had addressed the city's comments, which has resulted in the mix of the three- and five-lane design.
"I think we have a good compromise solution," Hallgren said. "And we are trying to get it wrapped up at this point and move forward into detailed design and ultimately construction."
The city of Brainerd's portion of the project cost will be $650,000-$700,000, Hallgren said. The total project cost is just under $7 million, he said. The city will need to contribute to the cost of upgrading some intersection signals and street lighting, as had been previously discussed.
The project includes replacing signal lights at the intersections of Quince, Oak, Laurel and Washington streets, Hallgren said. It does not include adding a signal light at the Willow Street intersection, which had been previously requested by the council.
"I understand your disappointment," Hallgren said. "We've had several discussions regarding that. At this time, the (intersection) still doesn't meet signal warrants."
It would be possible to design the project to make it easier to include a signal light at Willow Street in the future, Hallgren said.
"I very much appreciate that," council member Mary Koep responded.
This version of the project is far from finalized, Hallgren said, and there are more details to be worked out.
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"At this point, it's a good-faith estimate," Hallgren said.
The project will require MnDOT to acquire some additional right of way to construct the project, and MnDOT is also looking to reduce its right-of-way impact for six properties on the south end of the project.
The whole project includes sidewalks for pedestrians, as well as a shoulder in the three-lane section for bikers. Bikers will also be able to use the sidewalks in the five-lane section, as allowed by city statute.
SPENSER BICKETT may be reached at 218-855-5859 or spenser.bickett@brainerddispatch.com . Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/spenserbickett .
