by Dennis Dalman
news@thenewsleaders.com
Variable widths of existing and proposed roadways in east Sartell are now being proposed for what’s known as the East Side Reconstruction Project.
Sartell City Engineer Jon Halter shared a huge map of the proposed road project at the last City Council meeting. At a public hearing at the Aug. 13 meeting, many neighbors from east Sartell expressed concerns about reconstructing some roads too wide when width is not and has not been a problem in those quiet neighborhoods.
City staff, the council and the engineer listened to the neighbors’ concerns, restudied the road plan and decided that the neighbors were right – that variable widths would be the way to go. The project will begin next spring.
Current planning now calls for the following:
Along Second Avenue and Third Avenue, the street will be 28 feet wide with no parking allowed.
Along Fourth Avenue NE., the road will be 36 feet wide.
Other streets will be 32 feet wide with parking allowed on just one side of the street.
The city standard for residential streets is 36 feet wide, with sidewalk, but in the neighborhood in east Sartell, most of which has not much through traffic, the variable road widths would be acceptable in some cases, the engineers decided.
The entire East Side Reconstruction Project includes road improvements, replacing or updating of the storm-water system, water mains and sanitary sewer lines and replacement of about 20 fire hydrants. A pond storage area will also be added. It will cost an estimated $7,179,000. The overlay work will be paid entirely by the city and assessments to residents will help cover the other portions of the project.
The city’s total cost is $6,628,000, which means about $500,000 must be raised through assessments.
