by Dennis Dalman
An ordering of bids was approved by the Sartell City Council at its last meeting for safety improvements in the Celebration neighborhood of Sartell.
The estimated cost of the project is about $500,000 for the actual construction, with an additional $125,000 to cover soft costs, such as design.
Bids will be opened sometime in February.
Celebration neighborhood has been plagued with draining problems and water build-up in alleys and some streets, causing slippery spots in cold weather and degradation of pavement and surfacing, and causing widespread safety concerns for residents and visitors.
Construction to improve the drainage will take place between April and August of 2019. City staff, the engineering firm and the council have taken public input for the project for more than a year. Final plans were approved in July of last year, but bids came in higher than expected and so bids were rejected and the project will have to be rebid.
Assessments to residents who live in that neighborhood are expected to be about $1,000 per lot.