Agenda - Public Works Committee - 03/18/2025

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6.1. Public Works Committee Meeting Date: 03/18/2025 Primary Strategic Plan Initiative: Not Applicable Title: Review Gravel Road Elimination Program Funding Options Purpose/Background: Purpose: Review updated project costs for Gravel Road Elimination Program (GREP), and discuss project prioritizations and funding sources. Background: In 2025, the City of Ramsey will be required to regularly maintain approximately 2.2 miles of public gravel surfaced roads. Maintaining gravel roads requires the use of a road grader. In non -winter months, the grader is used to grade the surface to remove potholes and "washboards" and to restore the crown on the roads so they drain properly. During winter months the grader is primarily used to plow snow from gravel roads, though grading the surface may also be required during the winter. A 1999 John Deere road grader is used to maintain gravel roads. This grader is not identified for replacement within the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). If this grader was ever out of service for any length of time, the city would need to rent a replacement temporarily to maintain all gravel roads. On May 21, 2002, the Public Works Committee held one of its first in-depth discussions on costs associated with maintaining and paving gravel (called dirt at the time) roads. A copy of the meeting minutes from this Public Works Committee discussion is attached for reference. On July 19, 2011, the Public Works Committee discussed adopting a Gravel Road Elimination Policy. However, a draft policy was never developed. Attached is a copy of this Public Works Committee case with meeting minutes. In 2014 the City adopted a Special Assessments Policy, which included a requirement for benefiting property owners to pay 50-percent of the costs to convert a gravel road to a paved street. Attached is a copy of the adopted Special Assessments Policy. On February 20, 2024, the Public Works Committee directed staff to obtain a geotechnical report with soil borings for all remaining regularly maintained public gravel roads, and to explore stormwater management needs as required to convert these gravel roads to bituminous pavement sections. Attached is a copy of the Geotechnical Exploration Report obtained from ITT including a summary and map of all existing gravel roads, with the exception of the 0.31-mile cul-de-sac segment of 173rd Avenue west of Nowthen Boulevard/CSAH 5 that is gravel surfaced but is proposed to be paved with the Trott Brook Crossing residential development within the next several years. At the January 21, 2025, Public Works Committee meeting, staff reviewed updated project cost estimates to pave the six gravel road segments, which total approximately 1.9 miles in length and have a total estimated project cost of $2,250,000. Staff also provided a recommendation for gravel road segment paving priorities. Staff then requested direction from the Committee on whether a draft Gravel Road Elimination Policy should be prepared for future review by the Committee and potential City Council adoption, which would include detailed project cost estimates for each gravel road segment, a project prioritization schedule, and a recommended funding program.