09-12-2012 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Joel Hanson 'abject: RR Crossing Trail Project Joel & Lee: After looking at the costs and realizing that there is more involved than just the crossing itself, and that this project is not going to go away and will only increase in cost over time, I will support continuing with the project but at a more reasonable and controllable pace. In order to do that I'm suggesting that we pay the $600 to extend the permit to March of 2014. So, if it makes sense to let the railroad do their piece of the work now...fine. And if it makes sense to get the free dirt now...good. But I don't think it makes any sense to do any of the path work until well after the St Paul water department has completed all of their work. I believe we will easily save the $600 by doing all of the paving at the same time plus allowing us to bid the project at a time when we may get better pricing. I also think we'll get a better finished product if we don't try to push completion before the snow fly's. Bill > From: lelfering @elferingeng.com > To: joel.hanson @ci.little - canada.mn.us; mcpuck93 @aol.com; > john.t.keis @ampf.com > CC: jkeis @aol.com; wrbles @hotmail.com; montourrick @comcast.net; > shellymboss @aol.com; shellyb @frattalonecompanies.com; > bill.dircks @ci.little - canada.mn.us; jim.morelan @ci.little - canada.mn.us > Subject: RE: RR Crossing Trail Project > Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2012 17:02:36 -0500 All, With St. Paul Water I will not say we ever know their plans for sure. > The original trail alignment was supposed to avoid impacts and we know > that is not the case. My understanding is that the St. Paul Water > Works improvements will not be going outside of the construction > fenced areas they have around the wells they are working on right now. > Those wells, at least the ones affecting the trail, are the two north > of South Owasso and the two south of South Owasso. The second well > north of South Owasso actually has the chain link fence up right now > is not proposed to have a connection to the other water conduit so > that fencing should not be changing. Our rider agreements for the > trails all indicate that any trail work /repair is the City's responsibility regardless of why it is necessary. > • In regards to the grades, the fill proposed to be brought to the site > will result in a 5% grade up to the tracks from the south and then a > little less than 5% going back down at the steepest points. That grade > is noticeable while walking or riding a bike but is considered ADA accessible. > The current permit requires the crossing construction to be completed > by March 16, 2013 and no outside paving that I know of has ever been > completed that early in the year. Therefore we have to get the trial > paved this year to meet the permit date or the permit will need to be > extended. Typically contractors pave into November of the year, but > every year is different and it depends largely on temperature. > Once the fill is placed I am not sure how we would decide not to > finish the project. If the City did somehow decide to not finish the > project after the fill was placed the RR may want the material we brought in removed. > If there is concern over the project the City could hold off on the > project, but that would require us to obtain another permit extension > from BNSF which would cost $600.00 if we want the opportunity to > complete the project next year. That would allow St. Paul Water more 1