#09 - Village Parkway UPRR Crossing

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STAFF REPORT DATE: January 21, 2025 CONSENT AGENDA ITEM: Approve Plans and Specifications and order Advertisement for Bids for the Village Parkway UPRR Crossing Improvements. SUBMITTED BY: Jack Griffin, Sr. Project Manager REVIEWED BY: Nicole Miller, City Administrator Clarissa Hadler, Finance Director Marty Powers, Public Works Director Nate Stanley, City Engineer Chad Isakson, Assistant City Engineer ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: Should the City Council approve the Plans and Specifications and order the Advertisement for the Village Parkway UPRR Crossing Improvements? BACKGROUND: The City of Lake Elmo is seeking to permit, design and construct a new at-grade railroad crossing over the Union Pacific Railroad to complete the connection for Village Parkway from 30th Street North to CSAH 14. Village Parkway has been planned and designed as part of the Old Village planning efforts to serve as a neighborhood collector roadway for the new development along the east side of the Old Village and to provide vehicle and pedestrian connectivity to the Village center. Design standards were developed and approved by the City council in January 2014 and developers were required to incorporate segments of the roadway into varies phases of their subdivision. As part of the developer discussions the at-grade railroad crossing itself would be completed as a city improvement project and developers agreed to provide financial contributions to the crossing on a per REC basis. These contributions have been addressed through the applicable development agreements. In 2019, the City Council authorized design phase services to be completed by SEH, Inc. to initiate the public at-grade railroad crossing improvements. Then in November, 2024 the City Council approved the At-Grade Crossing Agreement with Union Pacific Railroad, establishing the coordination and construction requirements for the project, together with the fees and costs to be paid to the Railroad for their portion of the surface and signal improvements. PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: The plans and specifications have been completed for the improvements and are ready to be advertised for contractor bids. A bid date has been scheduled for February 18, 2025. Contractor bids will be received and reviewed by staff with a tentative staff recommendation for award of contract to be presented for council consideration at the March 4, 2025 council meeting FISCAL IMPACT: The Total Estimated Project Cost is $1,418,000, including $1,065,200 for the At- Grade Roadway Crossing and $352,800 for the Trunk Watermain Crossing. The City would also be required to pay annual maintenance fees to the Union Pacific Railroad in the amount of $14,730. The street portion of the project will be paid for with levy-funded debt or cash. The watermain portion of the project will be paid for with enterprise-funded debt or cash. A portion of the street improvements would be offset by “Railroad Crossing Improvement” fees collected from adjacent developments. RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending that the City Council consider approving the plans and specifications and ordering the advertisement for bids for the Village Parkway UPRR Crossing Improvements. The recommended motion for this action is as follows: