Agenda - Council - 07/09/2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilmember Musgrove asked if planting grass would be an option. Public Works Superintendent Riemer stated that the existing material would need to be dug out and even if grass was then planted, it would be very labor intensive. City Engineer Westby stated that the City received bids in the past to install curb and gutter, concrete median improvements, paving and striping at a cost of about $109,000. He stated that if improvements at the intersection of Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Highway 10 do not move forward in the next few years, the City could choose to do a lesser option to pave the area. Chairperson Kuzma stated that the site currently looks better than the boarded -up gas station that previously existed. Councilmember Riley stated that if that area was going to be improved, he would want to see that funded by the strip mall and businesses within. 5.01: Consider Recommendation to City Council to Suspend Annual Sealcoating Program (Continued) City Engineer Westby displayed photographs from different streets that have had similar issues after sealcoating, which includes local streets as well as higher volume collector streets. He stated that the City annually budgets $500,000 for crack sealing and sealcoating projects. Staff still recommends completing cracksealing projects in an estimated amount of $200,000 annually. He stated that staff recommends that the Committee recommend that the City Council suspend the City' s annual sealcoating program to allow for further observation of previously sealcoated City streets to make sure further degradation does not occur and to research the practices and findings of other cities that are trying alternative treatments to sealcoating. Chairperson Kuzma asked if it would make sense to cut a strip out of the road that has the damage and replacing that segment. City Engineer Westby replied that could be done and staff could investigate that option along with patching. Public Works Superintendent Riemer explained that the paver is eight to ten feet in width and therefore a lesser width could not be completed. City Engineer Westby explained that if the sealcoating program is suspended and only cracksealing is completed, the budgeted funds that would be saved from not sealcoating could be used to repair other roadways, such as Variolite Street. Councilmember Riley stated that he is torn as sealcoating has been done for the past 60 years. He recognized that there clearly is an issue and it would not make sense to spend money to make roads worse. He asked if Ramsey should look into fog sealing. Public Works Committee / May 21, 2019 Page 4 of 8