Agenda - Council - 05/28/2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CC Regular Session 8. 2. Meeting Date: 05/28/2013 Submitted For: Bruce Westby By: Bruce Westby, Engineering/Public Works Information Title: Long -Term Street Reconstruction Program Update Background: Previously, the City Council was informed that approximately $3,000,000 would be needed annually to address the city's long-term street reconstruction needs in order to maintain a rating of 7 based on the Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) system. Since such time, staff has been working to refine the necessary estimated annual costs by better defining the actual maintenance and reconstruction costs for all city streets. Staff is proposing to accomplish this by developing various (likely 8 to 12) typical street sections for various combinations of street widths for both urban (curb and gutter and storm sewer) and rural (no curb and gutter with ditches) streets, and by applying pavement sections for each section based on either clay or sand subgrade sections. These typical sections can then be used to better define the average cost per mile to maintain and reconstruct each of our city streets by applying the most appropriate typical section to each street segment. This average cost can then be compared against our 30-year pavement management program to refine the projected annual street reconstruction costs. Staff also plans to include costs for sidewalks and pathways with the applicable typical sections based on the city's current sidewalk and pathway policy for new street construction projects. Staff also plans to develop the framework for a policy that Council can consider for adoption to address the current lack of direction related to the inclusion or omission of sidewalks and pathways with street reconstruction projects. This current lack of direction was briefly mentioned during the Public Works Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 22nd, and draft policy language would be discussed and approved by the Public Works Committee prior to any request for Council action on the item. In April, staff emailed a questionnaire to other Anoka County cities asking for information on their current funding practices as related to street reconstruction programs in their cities. Results were received from most cities and the results will be presented to Council when the case is presented for Council consideration of action. At this time, staff anticipates presenting the case for Council action at the second Council meeting in June. Staffs presentation will include a detailed discussion of the pros and cons of the various available funding sources, both as related to the taxpayers and to the city. As Council may be aware, the city of Elk River recently completed a similar analysis to determine the best funding program for their street reconstruction program. In the end, the Elk River City Council adopted a franchise fee to help fund their street maintenance and reconstruction projects, which incorporated a rebate program for those property owners still paying off their assessments from previous projects. This rebate simply refunds the annual franchise fee amount to each of those property owners. Notification: N/A Observations/Alternatives: N/A - THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Recommendation: