Agenda - Public Works Committee - 04/19/2016

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March 30, 2016 Page 2 of 2 IP #16-00, Division C Project Update State Aid Design Standards Both streets are part of the City's Municipal State Aid System so the design must meet Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) State Aid standards. Accordingly, both streets are proposed to be reconstructed using 9-ton pavement designs. And while State Aid standards do not require on -street parking or centerline and edge striping, based on public input on -street parking is proposed along one -side of both streets throughout the entire corridor. Centerline and edge striping are not proposed, although 4-inch white striping is proposed to delineate parking lanes from adjacent through lanes. Project Funding /Assessments A portion of the proposed improvements are proposed to be funded through special assessments to benefiting properties. In December of 2014, the City of Ramsey adopted a Special Assessments Policy providing for special assessments to be levied against benefiting properties on street reconstruction projects in the amount of 25% of eligible project costs. However, this policy states that all costs relative to oversizing existing City streets by increasing the width and/or the load carrying capacity of the pavement are ineligible costs for assessments. Since the existing streets are 30-feet wide from gutter -line to gutter -line, special assessments will only be based on a 30-foot wide street section. Special assessment amounts will therefore not include any costs for widening the streets by 2-feet, or for increasing the load carrying capacity of the pavement sections to meet State Aid standards. To ensure that special assessments levied against benefiting properties will not exceed increased property values due to the improvements, the City will enlist the services of a real estate appraisal firm to complete a special benefit consultation report for this project. The results of this report will be presented to the City Council on October 11th To summarize, this project is only a proposed project until such time that the City Council awards a construction contract, which per the project schedule is proposed for May 24th, 2016. Upon award of a contract, a preconstruction meeting will be conducted with the contractor to discuss their plans for constructing the improvements, including project phasing and schedule. This information will then be relayed to Northfork residents as quickly as possible. Please feel free to contact me at 763-433-9825 or bwestbv @citvoframsev .com with any questions regarding this letter or the proposed improvement project. Sincerely, Bruce Westby, P.E. City Engineer