#04 - Cost Share Agreement for CSAH 13 Improvements

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STAFF REPORT DATE: June 3, 2025 CONSENT TO: City Council FROM: Nate Stanley, City Engineer AGENDA ITEM: Approve Cooperative Cost Share Agreement for the CSAH 13 (Inwood Avenue) Pavement Rehabilitation Improvements REVIEWED BY: Nicole Miller, City Administrator Clarissa Hadler, Finance Director Marty Powers, Public Works Director Chad Isakson, Assistant City Engineer Jack Griffin, Senior Project Manager CORE STRATEGIES: ☐ Vibrant, inclusive, connected community ☐ Efficient, reliable, innovative services ☒ Responsive, transparent, adaptive governance ☐ Balanced Finances now and future ☒ Managed Growth ☒ Resilient Infrastructure BACKGROUND: Washington County is completing pavement improvements along CSAH 13 (Inwood Avenue) from CSAH 10 (10th Street North) to CSAH 6 (Stillwater Boulevard) this year. The improvements include a reclaim and repave of the roadway and grading improvements, both to the roadway and ditch system. The City of Lake Elmo has a 16-inch diameter trunk watermain line that runs parallel with the roadway below the western ditch. Upon review of the County plans, it was observed that ground cover over the watermain is being reduced to less than 7.5-feet due to ditch grading, over a stretch from Ivory Avenue North to approximately 600-feet northward. City staff worked with the County to incorporate insulation into the plans, to be installed over the watermain to protect the pipe from freezing. ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: Should the City Council approve the Cooperative Agreement between the City of Lake Elmo and Washing County for construction costs of CSAH 13? PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: Washington County has prepared plans and received bids for the CSAH 13 improvements. Included in the bid package are improvements to insulate the existing in-place city watermain where reduction of ground cover over the pipe became problematic due to proposed ditch grading. The limits of insulation were determined through plan review and potholing the existing main during final plan development to verify watermain depth. City staff initially discussed potentially reconstructing the watermain to lower the grade of the pipe. However, after receiving the pothole data confirming watermain elevations, it was determined that excavating and placing styrofoam insulation would be a more cost-effective way to protect the pipe, as the main was revealed to be deeper than originally thought. Leaving the pipe in-place also eliminates service interruptions that would be experienced if the pipe was replaced.