Receive Update on Bunker Lake Boulevard Reconstruction - Armstrong Boulevard to Ramsey Boulevard

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to receive an update on the Bunker Lake Boulevard Reconstruction project between Armstrong Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard, including attempts to amend the Ramsey Town Center Joint Powers Agreement.
 
Background:
In April of 2005, a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) was executed between the City of Ramsey and Anoka County defining required public works improvements related to the Ramsey Town Center development, now referred to as The COR.  Two amendments have been executed since, one in February of 2009, and the other in February of 2012.  A copy of the executed JPA, including the two amendments, is attached.
 
The required public works improvements, which total slightly more than $13,000,000 in 2005 dollars, are generally intended to be constructed in four separate phases per the JPA. Individual project cost summaries are included in Schedules A through C.  The JPA outlines the requirements of each party as related to the design and construction of the improvements, allowable use and access to County-owned properties and highways, and other terms and conditions.
 
Phase 1 identifies required improvements to Ramsey Boulevard from Highway 10 to 1,000 feet north of Bunker Lake Boulevard including expansion to a four lane divided highway with turn lanes and signal system modifications at Highway 10, railway crossing upgrades, and signal systems installed at Sunwood Drive and Bunker Lake Boulevard.  This work has been completed.
 
Phase 2 identifies required improvements to Armstrong Boulevard from Highway 10 to 1,000 feet north of Bunker Lake Boulevard including expansion to a four lane divided highway with turn lanes and signal system modifications at Highway 10, railway crossing upgrades, and signal systems installed at Sunwood Drive and Bunker Lake Boulevard.  This work has been completed.
 
Phase 3 is one of the larger and more costly improvements required by the JPA.  This work includes the expansion of Bunker Lake Boulevard between Armstrong Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard to a four lane divided highway with turn lanes and construction of signal systems at Center Street and Sunwood Drive.  This project was estimated to cost $3,170,109 in 2005.  This work has not been completed and was originally intended to be completed in 2007 based on anticipated development, but was delayed when development slowed in the late 2000’s.
 
Phase 4 identifies required improvements to Sunfish Lake Boulevard from Highway 10 to 1,000 feet north of Bunker Lake Boulevard including expansion to a four lane divided highway with turn lanes and signal system modifications at Highway 10, railway crossing upgrades, and a signal system installed at Bunker Lake Boulevard.  This work has been completed.
 
In the fall of 2019, Anoka County Highway Department staff informed City staff they want to expand Bunker Lake Boulevard to a four lane divided highway between Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Armstrong Boulevard in anticipation of the need for a reliever route due to the work proposed to Highway 10 through the cities of Coon Rapids (adding a third lane to Highway 10 in each direction) and Anoka (the Anoka Solution improvements).  Anoka County is starting to explore their right of way needs related to expanding Bunker Lake Boulevard between Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard, and asked that the City of Ramsey begin designing the required improvements for Bunker Lake Boulevard between Armstrong Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard per the JPA.
 
City Staff then began developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit engineering services for completing a traffic study and preparing plans and specifications for improvements to Bunker Lake Boulevard between Armstrong Boulevard and Ramsey Boulevard.  Before presenting a draft RFP to the City Council to request authorization to solicit proposals from Anoka County approved engineering consultants, the Public Works Committee was asked to recommend City Council approval of the request on November 19, 2019.
 
While addressing the Public Works Committee on November 19th, the Committee asked Staff why the City would be responsible for paying and improving a County road.  It was also noted that the Committee wanted to better understand the reasoning for the terms within the JPA that require the City to finance and construct County Road 116 / Bunker Lake Boulevard, and that if the City is responsible for building and financing the improvements, the City should have additional say in which access points are allowed onto the roadway.  The Committee ultimately directed Staff to gather additional information on the history of the terms and conditions in the JPA, and to discuss options with Anoka County related to renegotiating the JPA, working together to find efficiencies, and opportunities for additional access onto Bunker Lake Boulevard.
 
City Staff contacted the City’s former Public Works Director who was primarily charged with executing the JPA on behalf of the City of Ramsey, to inquire why the City agreed to upgrade the County Road to a 4-lane section.  His response was that this was the proposed design per the mitigation section (Appendix C) of The COR AUAR (see italicized text below).
 
ITEM 21. TRANSPORTATION
 
Bunker Lake Boulevard (formerly Industry Avenue)—widen to five lane cross section west of Ramsey Boulevard to provide two through lanes in each direction and a left turn lane/center median.
 
City Staff also contacted Anoka County Engineer Joe MacPherson per the Committee’s direction.  He said he was open the idea of discussing the renegotiation of terms within the JPA regarding the reconstruction of Bunker Lake Boulevard and the number of allowable accesses to it, but first he wanted to review the JPA with some of his staff. City staff is still waiting for a return call. 

Staff anticipates this case will take approximately 15 minutes to present and respond to questions.

Additional information, if available, will be presented during the meeting.  There is no set schedule at this time for moving this item forward so Staff plans to present new information to the Committee each month as it becomes available.

Attached is a copy of the project summary sheet from the adopted 2020 – 2029 CIP, which identifies estimated project costs and proposed funding sources.

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This case is informational only.  No action is required at this time.