Consider Recommending City Council Approving Plans and Specifications and Authorizing Advertisements for Bids for 2026 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements, Improvement Project #26-10

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to consider recommending City Council approving plans and specifications and authorizing advertisements for bids for 2026 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements, Improvement Project #26-10.
 
Background:
The City’s current pavement maintenance schedule calls for public streets to receive the following maintenance following construction, overlay, or reconstruction:
 

• Year 2 – Pavement Rejuvenator
• Year 3 – Crack Seal
• Year 5 – Refresh Pavement Markings (If Applicable)
• Year 7 – Crack Seal
• Year 10 – Refresh Pavement Markings (If Applicable)
• Year 14 – Crack Seal
• Year 15 – Refresh Pavement Markings (If Applicable)
• Year 20 – Overlay or Reconstruction

 
The above schedule is the typical maintenance schedule based off assumed ideal conditions. Staff reviews the condition of all streets annually and adjusts the schedule of maintenance operations based on actual pavement conditions.
 
Rejuvenator Use History
In 2019, the City Council indefinitely suspended seal coat improvements due to observed issues of pavement stripping under seal coat, which causes approximately the top inch of pavement to strip away from underlying pavement. These areas of stripping originally show as small spots in the surface of the pavement, but quickly migrate across the pavement into larger areas forming shallow potholes.
 
In alignment with many other metro cities confronted with these same pavement issues, Staff feels pavement rejuvenators provide the greatest overall benefit at the lowest cost. Staff proposes to continue to use Reclamite, a maltene-based petroleum product with the ability to penetrate into asphalt pavement and restore reactive components (maltenes) which have been lost due to the natural process of oxidation.
 
Reclamation has been used nationally for over 5 decades and is proven to add 5 to 7 years of service life to pavements. The application is intended to be performed on pavements 5 years old or less, though several cities are completing pilot project applications on pavement sections older than 5 years. Additionally, staff is aware of an ongoing study for considering a 2^nd Reclamite treatment to further extend the useful service life of pavements. Staff will continue to monitor such applications and adjust future projects within the City of Ramsey based on observed results.
 
Future Considerations
Regional contractors have taken note of metro cities moving away from seal coating and toward pavement rejuvenators, and as a result, several newer products are becoming available in our region. The Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB), with the assistance of MnROAD, is three years into an evaluation of proprietary rejuvenators, including the most commonly used product in the metro area, Reclamite. Early results indicate Reclamite is performing well in Minnesota. Ideally, once the evaluation is complete, additional reliable products will result in a competitive bidding market. Because of its proven track record, and the potential risks associated with using new products, staff recommends continuing to use Reclamite on all street segments proposed to receive pavement rejuvenator.
 
2026 Proposed Rejuvenation Improvements
Plans for the 2026 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements are attached to this case. A total of 15.56 miles of public street segments and 1 parking lot are proposed to receive pavement rejuvenation. The proposed streets are generally receiving the treatment on the 2^nd year after construction, reconstruction, or overlay per the proposed street maintenance schedule. The exception are some subdivisions built in small phases, with earlier phases being held off 1 year to be able to treat a larger area at once. This simplifies future maintenance as well, and is less confusing for the general public compared to stopping projects at arbitrary plat lines within a subdivision. Final plans and specifications were prepared in-house as part of staff’s normal duties.
 
Preliminary Schedule Remaining
 

• January 27, 2026                     City Council approve plans, authorize bidding
• March 3, 2026                         Bid opening, City Council award contracts
• March 10, 2026                       City Council awards contract to the lowest responsible bidder
• July 1, 2026                            Contractor may begin improvements
• August 30, 2026                      Contractor completes improvements

 
The proposed improvements are designated as 2026 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements, Improvement Project #26-10.

Letters will not be mailed out to affected property owners until Council awards the contract for the project.

Timeframe:
Staff estimates up to 10 minutes will be needed to present this case and respond to questions.
 
Observations:
IP 26-10 and IP 26-09 engineer’s estimates are based off of final plans and anticipated 2026 construction costs. IP 26-11 estimate is a CIP level estimate based off of costs per mile.
 
Alternatives:
Alternative #1 – Motion to recommend City Council approve plans and specifications and authorize advertisements for bids for 2026 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements, Improvement Project #26-10.
 
Alternative #2 – Motion of other.

The city budgeted $650,000 in 2026 for contracted street maintenance services including; crack sealing, pavement rejuvenation, refreshing pavement markings, and other contracted services such as skim patching.
 
The preliminary estimated costs for pavement maintenance improvements is:

• IP 25-09 Crack Seal                            $218.000
• IP 25-10 Pavement Rejuvenation    $328,000
• IP 25-11 MSA Pavement Markings    $8,000

 

• Total Pavement Maintenance Costs   $554,000
  • Staff recommends remaining budgeted funds be guided for pavement patching services as needed.

 
City Staff proposes to administer and inspect construction in-house, as part of their normal duties.

Staff recommends Alternative #1.

Motion to recommend City Council approve plans and specifications and authorize advertisements for bids for 2026 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements, Improvement Project #26-10.