Agenda Packets - 2002/04/01 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ericson asked about the landscape partnership program where MnDOT would supply landscaping materials at no cost to the City if it were to undertake a wall or berm project. Pafko verified this program was still available and is a good way to get landscaping materials at no cost as long as the City had volunteers to coordinate the planting. Lee asked about design issues and letting of contracts, Pafko responded that Wasko would be able to provide (in whole or part) the necessary technical and design assistance if the City were to fund a wall on its own, and the cooperative agreement between the City and MnDOT would identify other issues concerning contract administration, bids and other technical components of such a project. As the meeting neared conclusion, the Highway 10 survey was reexamined. The question was raised at how many feet of pavement would be needed to complete the third lane through this corridor. While only an estimate, it appeared as though only a half-mile of pavement would be needed. Ericson asked what the cost of installing the additional lane would be, and Pafko responded that the addition of a third lane where the topography was pregraded to accommodate such an expansion would be minimal, perhaps $1 million per mile. Thus assuming a half- mile was needed, the cost could be as low as $500,000. Installing a 20-foot tall noise wall for this same distance would be $750,000. The noise wall could potentially cost more that the highway expansion! It was suggested that the project might be small enough to just knock off in between other projects if funding were not an issue. The meeting ended with reassurances from MnDOT that they would continue to explore ways to work with the City to resolve the noise issues on the south side of Highway 10.