04-08-2026 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Staff Report To: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council From: Bill Dircks, Public Works Director Date: April 8, 2026 Re: 2026 Little Canada Road Improvements – Professional Services Scope Update Action To Be Considered: Motion to approve, table, or deny the following: • Scope update with Bolton & Menk to complete the Little Canada Road Improvements Project at not-to-exceed indirect costs of $3,051,995. Background: As the Little Canada Road Improvements Project enters its final stages, Bolton & Menk’s professional services budget requires an update to account for final project delivery efforts and upcoming construction phase services. This project has been in development for several years and has involved significantly greater complexity than a typical municipal street reconstruction project. Throughout this extended development period, Bolton & Menk has continued to advance the project while proactively addressing numerous design, coordination, and regulatory challenges. In collaboration with their subconsultant team, they have consistently managed the project in a professional manner while maintaining the City’s interests as the primary focus. A major inflection point in the project occurred just over a year ago, when the approved project scope shifted substantially to incorporate a large roundabout at the west interchange ramp terminal. This redesign required an accelerated effort to develop a new layout, refine traffic operations, and successfully navigate the rigorous design review and approval processes established by MnDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Bolton & Menk coordinated closely with multiple agencies to meet schedule demands and maintain project momentum, despite the compressed timelines and heightened review requirements associated with a federally involved interchange project. Overall, this has been a highly dynamic project, requiring a level of coordination, technical expertise, and responsiveness beyond that of the City’s typical street projects. Under standard conditions, design and construction engineering services for state‑aid projects generally represent approximately 20 percent of total construction costs. Given the scale of this project, the number of external stakeholders involved, and the substantial redesign effort, Bolton & Menk’s projected professional services costs are estimated at approximately 25 percent of the anticipated construction costs. This level of effort remains consistent with industry standards for projects of this complexity and regional significance. Right‑of‑way acquisition services continue to be tracked separately as a non‑routine cost outside of design and construction engineering.