by Logan Gruber
operations@thenewsleaders.com
Construction on the CR 3 Up the Hill project is expected to start in May after the Sauk Rapids city council approved funding for its portion of the roadway at the Feb. 8 council meeting.
Benton County Public Works Director Chris Byrd and WSB and Associates Vice President of Transportation Services Ron Bray presented the project to the council.
The project, which would run on CR 3 or Second Street N. from about Third Avenue to about halfway between Stearns Drive and Hwy 10, has been in the works for at least two years.
“The existing roadway is past its design life,” Byrd said. “It’s quite deteriorated, and pedestrian access is non-existent.”
“The volume of traffic through Second Street N. has only been increasing,” Bray added.
Forecasts predict 14,700-20,800 vehicles will travel this stretch of roadway daily in 2035. As of a 2013 study, this number was 7,600-10,100 vehicles, which means the amount of vehicles will double in the next 20 years. The capacity of the current roadway is 10,000 vehicles.
Major problems with the road include the noted congestion, the deteriorated pavement, no pedestrian access as well as limited right-of-way for traffic to turn.
Public meetings were held, as well as meetings with affected property owners. Information was also posted on the city and county websites for people to peruse. After as much information was gathered as possible, a concept was arrived at.
The final concept will see roundabouts placed on Second Street N. at Sixth Avenue N. and Summit Avenue. A traffic signal will be placed at Stearns Drive to better handle truck and business traffic. An additional lane will be added in both directions, with a biking trail on the north side and a sidewalk on the south side.
From Third Avenue to Sixth Avenue, a concrete median will be used, while from Sixth Avenue to Summit a landscaped median will be created. From Summit Avenue to Stearns Drive there will be a center left-turn lane to allow better access to businesses.
The current timeline is set as follows, though circumstances may change:
- February: Municipal consent/cost agreement
- March: Design complete/approval
- April: Bid opening
- May: Construction start
- Late August: Intermediate completion
- Mid-November: Substantially complete
- October 2016 or May 2017: Bituminous wearing course laid down
- April-July 2017: Final touches/landscaping
The total cost of the roadway is now projected at $13.24 million, with costs broken down as follows:
- Construction cost: $7.94 million
- Right-of-way purchase: $4.8 million
- Building demolition: $500,000
Costs to the city are currently set at $5.95 million, which includes:
- Construction cost: $1.15 million
- Right-of-way purchase: $4.8 million
The city has received about $658,000 from the federal government to help with rights-of-way purchase, and about $167,000 from a local road-improvement program to help defray the cost of the project, leaving the city with a cost of $5.13 million.
The county is footing the remaining $7.28 million of the cost, but will receive additional grants, bringing its final cost down to $4.87 million.
The CR 3 project is detailed in this graphic, showing the proposed roadway in yellow, concrete medians in red, landscaping medians in green, biking paths in brown and sidewalks in purple. Roundabouts will be placed at the intersections of Second Street N. with Sixth Avenue N. and Second Street N. with Summit Avenue. A traffic signal will be placed at the intersection with Stearns Drive, where truck and business traffic takes place.