Agenda Packets - 2003/02/10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 on one side to the back of the curb on the other side. It is used in discussions dealing with the total impermeable surface of the street. This is the width agencies such as the watershed district will be interested in. From functional, engineering, and public safety perspectives, local residential streets that allow for parking on both sides should have a minimum width of drivable surface of 26 to 28 feet. In a worst-case scenario, this will allow for two 8-foot parking lanes on each side of the road and still provide a minimal 10-to 12- foot one–way driving lane for emergency and other vehicles. With regard to widening the street, Staff suspects that trying to maximize the street width may be difficult from a standpoint of obtaining permits from other government agencies such as the Watershed District. The Watershed will likely contend that the City is increasing the impervious surface and thus increasing runoff from this area. In the end, the Watershed may not issue a permit or they may require very elaborate and expensive techniques to address the additional runoff. In addition, a need has not been demonstrated for widening streets in the project area. What are the residential street widths in other cities? Spring Lake Park used 32- foot wide roadways in their six-year street replacement program, Blaine uses 27- foot wide streets for new development, and Woodbury uses 29 feet. Staff recommends that Council consider a street width standard of 28 feet, measured from face of curb to face of curb for the 2003 Street Improvement Project. Street Guttering System Much discussion has pertained to whether the 2003 Street Improvement Project should provide concrete curb and gutter. There seems to be a general indication from the City Council that concrete curb and gutter would be preferred. The question that remains, however, is if the additional cost of the concrete curb and gutter is cost effective when compared to the benefits. The preliminary feasibility report will contain data that will hopefully assist in addressing this issue. The report will contain cost estimates for a concrete curb and gutter and compare these costs to a bituminous curb. At this time Staff is not looking for direction from the City Council as to whether concrete curb and gutter should be part of this project. This will be presented at a later date, once all the data is available. Storm Water introduction into the Sanitary Sewer System The issue of storm water being discharged into the City’s Sanitary Sewer System has been discussed on several occasions in the past several years. The City has