Agenda - Council - 01/27/2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Our Mistion: To work together to resposibly grow our community, and to provide quality, cost-effective, and efficient government services. CC Regular Session 7. 5. Meeting Date: 01/27/2015 By: Bruce Westby, Engineering/Public Works Information Title: Adopt Resolution 15-01-025 Ordering Feasibility Report for Jarvis Street Reconstruction and Railroad Crossing Quiet Zone Improvements; City Improvement Project #15-20 Purpose/Background: Purpose: The purpose of this case is to consider adopting Resolution 15-01-025 ordering the preparation of a Feasibility Report for the proposed Jarvis Street Reconstruction and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Crossing Quiet Zone Improvements; City Improvement Project #15-20. Background: In June of 2014, City of Ramsey staff learned the City of Elk River intended to reconstruct Jarvis Street between Trunk Highway 10 and 165th Avenue as part of their 2015 Street and Utility Improvements project. This segment of Jarvis Street includes a section approximately 3,800 feet long that is bisected by the political boundaries of the cities of Elk River and Ramsey and is therefore mutually shared between the two cities. It also includes a Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad crossing that is currently not designated as a whistle -free quiet zone. A map showing the location of these improvements is included on the third page of the attached proposal letter from the City of Elk River. Staff from the two cities met to discuss the proposed improvements to Jarvis Street. Elk River's staff noted that the Ramsey City Council provided verbal support for sharing in the costs of reconstructing the shared section of Jarvis Street, as well as the railroad quiet zone improvements, during a joint meeting of the City Councils on May 9 th, 2011. Since then, the City of Elk River has been developing the Jarvis Street reconstruction and quiet zone improvements project to include as part of their 2015 Street and Utility Improvements project. Staff from the City of Ramsey agreed that the condition of Jarvis Street is such that it needs to be reconstructed in the foreseeable future, and that the Jarvis Street railroad crossing quiet zone improvements would benefit City of Ramsey residents and businesses. However, it was also noted that the Jarvis Street reconstruction and quiet zone improvements were not included in Ramsey's 5 -year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and that we did not have available funds to pay for the improvements in 2015. It was therefore discussed that the shared segment of Jarvis Street should be left out of their project and delayed until such time that the City of Ramsey was in a better position to fund our share of the improvements. On August 15th, 2014, staff from the two cities met again to further discuss the benefits and viability of the project, including potential financing options. Elk River's staff noted their strong preference to reconstruct Jarvis Street in 2015 and that they might be willing to pay the City of Ramsey's share of the costs up -front, and then allow Ramsey to repay our share of the costs back over a three-year period. On August 28th, the City of Elk River provided the attached proposal letter to the City of Ramsey formalizing their request for the City of Ramsey to share in 50% of the costs for reconstructing the shared segment of Jarvis Street, plus 50% of the costs for the quiet zone