Adopt Resolution #16-08-139 Ordering Feasibility Report for Improvement Project #17-00, Alpine Drive and Sunwood Drive Reconstructions

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #16-08-139 ordering preparation of a Feasibility Report for Improvement Project #17-00, which proposes to reconstruct Alpine Drive between Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83 and Variolite Street, and all or a portion of Sunwood Drive between Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56 and Bunker Lake Boulevard/CR 116.  These street segments respectively measure approximately 3,600 feet and 3,050 feet in length.  Figures 1 and 2 attached show the project areas.

Background:
Both Alpine Drive and Sunwood Drive are classified as collector streets.  Both are also part of Ramsey’s Municipal State Aid Street (MSAS) system.  This will require the plans and specifications to meet applicable MnDOT State Aid design standards.  This also means that MnDOT collects average annual daily traffic (AADT) counts on these street segments on a regular basis.
 
Existing Conditions –
Alpine Drive - Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83 to Variolite Street
 

• Constructed in 2001
• Spot patching only
• 2016 PASER rating = 3
• 80’ right of way
• 32’ (w/out parking) – 38’ (w/ parking) wide urban street
• Bituminous pavement
• B618 concrete curb and gutter
• Parking allowed on south side on east end, no parking allowed on west end
• 1,100 AADT (2011 MnDOT count)
• 45 mph posted speed limit

  
Sunwood Drive - Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56 to Bunker Lake Boulevard/CR 116
 

• Constructed in 1996
• Crackseal & Sealcoat in 2002 w/ spot patching since
• 2016 PASER rating = 3 – 4 (depending on location)
• 80’ right of way
• 40’ wide urban street
• Bituminous pavement
• B618 concrete curb and gutter
• Parking allowed both sides
• 3,500 AADT (2015 City count)
• 35 mph posted speed limit

 
Based on existing conditions, MnDOT State Aid operations Chapter 8820, Section 9936, requires the following minimum design standards for these street segments.
 

• 12’ drive lanes
• 2’ curb reaction
• 8’ - 10’ parking lanes*

* Parking is allowed on MSAS streets when posted speeds are 45 mph or less.

The pavement sections on both streets are generally in poor condition with the surfaces exhibiting numerous types of deformation.
 
The pavement on Alpine Drive is exhibiting significant “tenting” along the frequent transverse cracks (extending across the street, perpendicular to the lanes), particularly in winter months when the ground is frozen.  This results in extensive heaving of the pavement surface along the transverse cracks, often on the order of several inches, which can be extremely uncomfortable for drivers and is more importantly a safety issue due to the frequency of tires not being in contact with the surface of the street.  While this street is only 15 years old, the extent of the tenting that occurs in winter months is such that staff feels this is a significant enough safety issue to warrant reconstruction.  Soil borings will be completed as part of the Feasibility Report.  This will allow staff to evaluate whether subgrade soil corrections will be required as part of this project, similar to the Garnet Street reconstruction project.  The soil borings will also reveal the elevation of the groundwater table to determine whether dewatering operations will be required for any of the proposed improvements.
 
The pavement on Sunwood Drive is exhibiting numerous types of cracking including alligator, block, transverse and longitudinal cracking.  The alligator cracking is occurring in numerous areas, particularly east of Jaspar Street.  Overlaying streets with significant alligator and block cracking is typically not effective or recommended because cracking typically reflects through new overlay pavement sections within several years.  While this is typically is not an issue with infrequent transverse and longitudinal cracking due to the fairly wide spacing of the cracks, it becomes a bigger issue when alligator and block cracking are present in the existing pavement due to the close proximity of these types of cracks.  Taking soil borings in areas where alligator cracking exists will allow staff to evaluate whether subgrade soil corrections will be required as part of this project, similar to the Garnet Street reconstruction project.  The soil borings will also reveal the elevation of the groundwater table to determine whether dewatering operations will be required for any of the proposed improvements.
 
At this time, Staff is confident that entire segment of Alpine Drive between Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83 to Variolite Street requires reconstruction.  However, Staff is not as confident as to whether the entire segment of Sunwood Drive between Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56 and Bunker Lake Boulevard/CR 116 requires a full reconstruction, or whether one or more portions could receive mill and overlay improvements instead.  This will be fully evaluated during preparation of the Feasibility Report.

Off-street pedestrian facilities exist along both corridors.  Alpine Drive has an off-street bituminous trail along the south side of the street, and Sunwood Drive has an off-street bituminous trail along the north side.  The existing trails will not be evaluated as part of the Feasibility Report since they are being evaluated as part of the Trail Maintenance Policy that Staff is currently developing.  This will allow Staff to evaluate all of the City’s trails systematically to ensure that the proper trails will be maintained at the proper time.

Storm sewer exists along both street corridors and will need to be evaluated as part of preparing the Feasibility Report.
 
Public water supply and sanitary sewer utilities exist along the Sunwood Drive corridor, but not along the Alpine Drive corridor.  These systems will also be evaluated as part of preparing the Feasibility Report regarding the need to repair or replace any of the existing utilities.

Proposed Improvements –
Due to the poor condition of the pavement sections, both segments are currently proposed to be reconstructed in 2017.  The reconstruction of this segment of Alpine Drive is included in the City’s adopted Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2017.  However, new public utilities (water supply and sanitary sewer) are not proposed to be constructed with this project since the CIP does not include any such improvements.

No notifications are required for this case.

Observations:
The Feasibility Report will explore numerous aspects of the proposed improvements including whether the proposed improvements are feasible and necessary, whether they are cost-effective, and whether they should be completed as proposed or in conjunction with some other improvement project. The estimated costs of the proposed improvements will be explored in more detail, as will a project funding program including a description of the methodology used to calculate individual assessments for affected parcels. A proposed project schedule will also be identified.

Completing the Feasibility Report at this time will allow the City to develop the project in a timely manner and to advertise for bids over the early winter when bidding is typically most competitive.

Alternatives:
Alternative Action #1 – Motion to adopt Resolution #16-08-139 ordering a Feasibility Report for Improvement Project #17-00, Alpine Drive and Sunwood Drive Reconstructions.

Alternative Action #2 – Motion to deny adoption of Resolution #16-08-139 at this time.

The Feasibility Report will be completed in-house as part of staff’s regular duties. Numerous soil borings will be required to complete the geotechnical evaluation section of the report. This work is estimated to cost $10,000.

The 2016 - 2020 CIP includes a 2017 estimated project cost of $793,600 for the reconstruction of Alpine Drive between Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83 and Variolite Street.  The segment of Sunwood Drive between Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56 and Bunker Lake Boulevard/CR 116 was originally proposed as a 2016 mill and overlay project but was pushed out to 2017 due to the reconstruction of Bunker Lake Boulevard between Ramsey Boulevard and Basalt Street, and to a much lesser degree due to a pending 2016 building expansion project at Anderson Dahlen.  If this segment of Sunwood Drive requires full or partial reconstruction, sufficient bond funds should be available while not negatively impacting the ability to deliver the remaining street reconstruction projects programmed through the current 5-year street reconstruction and overlay bonding program.  This is due primarily to the favorable bids the City has recently been receiving for overlay and reconstruction projects.
 
Special assessments to benefiting properties are proposed to fund up to 25% of eligible project costs for the proposed improvements, but more so along Sunwood Drive than Alpine Drive.  However, Street Reconstruction Bonds will fund the majority of project costs.  Storm Water Funds will pay for storm sewer improvements, and Utility Enterprise Funds will fund any required utility improvements.  Other funding sources will also be explored within the Feasibility Report.

Staff recommends selecting Alternative Action #1 to allow the project to be developed in a timely manner in the fall of 2016, and to be constructed in 2017.  Since special assessments are proposed to pay for a portion of the project costs, a Feasibility Report must be completed to comply with the Chapter 429 process requirements, and to allow staff to engage with residents and businesses along the corridors as early as possible to avoid project delays.

Motion to adopt Resolution #16-08-139 ordering a Feasibility Report for Improvement Project #17-00, Alpine Drive and Sunwood Drive Reconstructions.