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Gravel Roads. Staff has been monitoring the effectiveness of the gravel road <br />maintenance program including reclamation activities completed in 2019. Staff will recommend <br />a re-graveling project this year, which will likely include 180th Street. <br /> <br /> Road Construction projects in 2020 will focus primarily on new public roads and <br />utilities to be constructed concurrent with private development. Notably, Finale Ave adjacent to <br />Lions Park will be relocated in conjunction with an apartment development that is underway. A <br />City-led project involving the extension of 147th Street from Finale Ave to Oneka Parkway will <br />occur simultaneous with the downtown street improvements and Lions Park construction. <br /> <br /> Ditches. The Rice Creek Watershed District plans to finish a significant maintenance <br />project along Judicial Ditch #3 this year. The ditch runs through multiple neighborhoods and <br />work has been very noticeable. City staff is leading a project on a major section of Judicial <br />Ditch #2 that was completed last year with work on a new section to be complete this winter if <br />weather allows. RCWD is undertaking maintenance this winter on branches of JD2 south of <br />Rice Lake this winter. The combination of ditch maintenance projects occurring last year and <br />this year will represent the most significant improvements to the city’s drainage infrastructure in <br />recent memory. <br /> <br />South Water Tower. The project schedule for the tower originally anticipated <br />completion in July of 2020, however the contractor declared bankruptcy, which has complicated <br />and delayed the project. The tower is now nearing completion and should be ready to be filled <br />with water and is expected to be operating in the spring. Afterwards, discussion will occur <br />concerning the fate of the old tower on 130th street, which will no longer be needed to support <br />the City’s water supply system. A follow-up project will be to remove the pressure reducing <br />valves that currently serve as the main connection between the city’s two water towers. <br /> <br /> Highway 61. In 2019, Council added a goal to begin discussions with MnDOT and <br />Washington County to talk about eventual improvements and expansion of Hwy 61. Washington <br />County has now included funds in their 2022 CIP for re-evaluation of the Hwy 61 Corridor Plan. <br /> <br /> Public Works Facility. Construction will proceed on the new Public Works Facility <br />throughout 2021 with final completion and occupancy scheduled in early 2022. <br /> <br /> <br />Water: <br /> <br />White Bear Lake Lawsuit. The Supreme Court made a ruling on this case in 2020, <br />which sent it back to the Court of Appeals, who have recently made their ruling. Staff will <br />provide updates on this topic as they become timely. We expect this topic to be a major <br />administrative distraction in 2021 as the DNR and other agencies respond to the ruling. <br /> <br />Stormwater re-use. Last year, the City re-used over 30 million gallons of water through <br />this program. Construction is ongoing on new several projects that will be privately managed by <br />Homeowners Associations. The City staff expects to begin construction on the CSAH 8 re-use <br />project, which will supply irrigation water to CSAH 8 landscaping, Lions Park, City Hall, <br />Keystone Place, Hugo Gardens Apartments, and 147th Street. The timing of this project ideally <br />would be coordinated to coincide with the timing of the Lions park project, and the downtown <br />street project. Staff continues to seek outside funds and project ideas for other re-use projects.