2018 Street & Utilities Improvements Project

2018 Construction Updates

2018 Public Improvement Projects

There are several construction projects taking place in Thief River Falls this summer. This is again a very busy construction season. These projects are developed through the City’s Capital Improvement Program, from developer requests, homeowner petitions and items requested by department managers and are outlined as follows:

Technology Street - Street and Utilities Improvements and Digi-Key Drive - Street Improvements. The proposed improvements on Technology Street would consist of the installation of a 12-inch and 8-inch water main connecting Barzen Avenue with First Street through the Noper Development, construction of a 44-foot wide 9-ton design roadway from Barzen Avenue to County State Aid Highway No. 16., storm sewer with storm water treatment and 4-inch white epoxy painted 8 foot wide bicycle lanes. The bituminous wearing course and striping would be left off until 2019 due to the significant amount of underground work and potential trench settlements.   

The proposed improvements on Digi-Key Drive would consist of the construction of a 40-foot wide 9-ton roadway from the new alignment of Greenwood Street to the old alignment of Greenwood Street through an existing roadway easement.

Funding for these improvements would come from a $1.6 million BDPI Grant and bonding. The bonding portion of $719,000 would be paid back through a tax increment financing inter-fund loan. There are no assessments on this portion of the project.    

First Street West - Street & Utilities Improvements. The proposed improvements would include the installation of 8-inch water main, 10-inch sanitary sewer, the construction of a 44-foot wide 9-ton roadway from recently constructed Ruby Avenue to County State Aid Highway No. 16, storm water treatment, and a 10-foot wide multi-use trail to serve the proposed multi-family apartment sites. The bituminous wearing course would be left off until 2019 due to the significant amount of underground work and potential trench settlements.

A Local Road Improvements Grant (LRIP) of $618,000 has been applied for with the remaining $270,000 coming from bonding. There is no guarantee in receiving the LRIP Grant. The City will continue to pursue additional outside funds for this project. There are approximately 650 feet of benefitting property available for assessment. Benefitting properties would be assessed for 60% of street improvements and 100% of water & sewer main costs.  

Nelson Drive - Street & Utilities Improvements. The proposed improvements would include installation of an 8-inch water main loop, 8-inch sanitary sewer, water and sewer service lines, and restoration of the bituminous surfaced rural section roadway. Water and sewer service lines would be stubbed out to the four properties out of the city limits for future connection. Any properties out of the city limits would need to complete annexation prior to connection to city utilities and pay a connection fee at that time equal to the amount of the assessment or the current connection fee at that time, whichever is the higher of the two options. The bituminous wearing course would be left off until 2019 due to the significant amount of underground work and potential trench settlement. Additional improvements would include the installation of 840 L.F. of 24” storm sewer in the southwest road ditch of Nelson Drive. A wide multi-use trail or sidewalk may be constructed on the south side of Nelson Drive from Nadine Street to the northwest end of the MMCDC Development, but is undetermined at this time. 

Funding for these improvements would come from bonding. Benefitting properties would be assessed for 100% of the water main, sanitary sewer and service line costs and 80% of sidewalk/trail costs. There are 850 feet of fronting properties available for assessment and approximately 1,000 feet of fronting properties available for future connection fee recovery.

MMCDC Alley Construction. The proposed improvements would consist of the construction of a 690-foot long, 20-foot wide bituminous surfaced alley with drain tile and drainage. The bituminous wearing course would be left off until 2019 to allow residential home construction activities prior to completion.  

Funding for these improvements would come from bonding. Benefitting properties would be assessed for 100% of the alley improvements. There are approximately 550 feet of fronting properties available for assessment.

Spruce Avenue Crosswalks. In 2018, the Minnesota Department Transportation (MnDOT) will be including the construction of a sidewalk on the south side of Third Street from Merriam Avenue to Spruce Avenue and along the west side of Spruce Avenue from Third Street to First Street in a Highway 59 (Third Street) resurfacing project. This sidewalk would be identified by the City as a trail.

In conjunction with the MnDOT project, the proposed improvements included in the City project is the upgrade of pedestrian ramps at the northwest and southwest corner of First Street and Spruce Avenue, striped crosswalk on First Street and installation of rapid flashing button controlled solar power LED crosswalk lights on the north and south side of First Street. Improvements would also include pedestrian ramp construction on the southeast and northeast corners of Spruce Avenue and Greenwood Street, striped crosswalk on Greenwood Street and installation of rapid flashing button controlled solar power LED crosswalk lights on the north and south side of Greenwood Street.  Both sides of Spruce Avenue from Greenwood Street to Nora Street would receive 4-inch white epoxy striping to create and 8-foot wide bicycle lane.

These improvements would be fully funded with Municipal State Aid Funds. 

Greenwood Street - Full Mill and Resurfacing. The proposed improvements would consist of milling 2-inches of the entire street and placing a 2-inch bituminous wearing course, including replacement of miscellaneous sections of curb & gutter, and valve box and manhole adjustments. Improvements would also include 4-inch white epoxy striping to create and 8-foot wide bicycle lane on both sides of Greenwood Street from Kendall Avenue to Hanson Drive.

Funding for these improvements would come from Municipal State Aid Funds. Benefitting properties would be assessed for 60% of the street improvements. There are approximately 1,000 feet of fronting properties available for assessment.

Highway No. 1 East (Eighth Street) - Street & Utilities Improvements. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is completing a complete reconstruction in 2018. The City of Thief River Falls will be responsible for a portion of the roadway costs along with the responsibility to replace the utilities as a part of the project. The proposed city portion of the improvements would include complete replacement of the 8-inch water main, 8-inch sanitary sewer, and all water and sewer service lines. 

Funding for these improvements would come from bonding. Benefitting properties, as defined in 1967, would be assessed for 60% of the street improvements, 100% for driveway aprons and 100% for water & sewer service lines. There are approximately 1,200 feet of properties available for assessment. There are no assessments for water main and sanitary sewer main replacement.  

Highway No. 1 East - Multi-use Trail. The proposed improvements include excavation, aggregate base, bituminous surfacing and pedestrian ramp updates to construct this 1.03 mile long 8-foot wide multi-use trail that will connect the City of Thief River Falls with Northland Community College and the MEC. This will receive trail designation by the City. 

This project will be funded with $116,000 in Federal Funds, $5,000 in State Funds and $49,000 in bonding. There are no assessments. 

Public Works Facility Garage Paving. The proposed improvements would consist of removing and replacing curb & gutter on Horace Avenue damaged from a prior storm sewer problem, grading existing aggregate base on the north and south side of the new building, grading the existing aggregate base on the east side of the original Street Department building and place two 1½-inch lifts of bituminous. 

Funding for these improvements would come from $65,000 in bonding and $15,000 in storm water utility funds. 

Water Distribution Garage Addition Paving. The proposed improvements would consist of grading the existing aggregate base and placing two 1½-inch lifts of bituminous surfacing. 

Funding for these improvements would come from bonding. 

Barnick Road Street and Utilities Improvements. The proposed improvements would consist of extending 8-inch sanitary sewer and 8-inch water main along with the construction of a 348 feet long segment of 36-feet wide, 7-ton design urban roadway with a cul-de-sac to serve their development.

Under the City’s current policy, the costs for street improvements are assessed at 60% to the benefiting property owners. Water and sewer costs, and concrete driveway aprons are assessed at 100% to benefitting property owners. Funding would need to come from bonding. There are approximately 325 feet of fronting properties available for assessment.

Summary. The total estimated project cost is $5,162,000. These costs would be covered with $116,000 in Federal funds, $1,600,000 in BDPI funds, $225,000 in Municipal State Aid funds, $719,000 in TIF reimbursement, $15,000 from storm water utility, $2,583,000 from bonding. The estimated assessment recovery is $539,000. 

Schedule. Construction is to be completed by R.J. Zavoral & Sons, Inc and scheduled to begin mid-June and be completed by mid-October.