2009 Street Projects

Last evening, Council unanimously approved approximately $800,000 in street improvements for the 2009 season. These capital improvements will address the issues for 50%-60% of the roads in Byron. The exact list of improvements will be finalized after a detailed analysis this spring. As you may know, the freezing/cooling process that occurs during the spring is very hard on our streets, and this may cause additional damage.

Can We Afford It?

As you are probably aware, there is no money in our 2009 budget to fund a project of this magnitude. This means that we would be bonding for the project with payments starting in 2011. However, it is my opinion that we have ignored our capital projects for too long and something must be done now before our roads deteriorate further. Proper maintenance of our roads adds longevity to our infrastructure, which will save the city money in the long run. In the future, I recommend that we strive to include a portion of our capital improvements in our annual budget so that bonding is not needed for regular maintenance.

What Will It Cost Me?

This is a big project and we'll need your help to make it possible. Therefore, 20% of the costs would be assessed to homeowners on the roads being improved with an overlay. On average, this would be $300 to $500 for each homeowner who receives an overlay on their road. No assessment is planned for those residents receiving only a seal coat on their road. If needed, you would have the option to spread the assessment cost over several years.

What's Included?

At this time, the project includes an overlay for at least 31 streets (31,474 feet) at a cost of approximately $708,000. In addition, the project includes a seal coating for 12 other streets (9,656 feet) at a cost of approximately $77,000. As I mentioned before, the exact list will be finalized after the spring thaw and a reassessment is completed. A complete list of the proposed streets to be improved can be found on Page 54 of this week's Council Packet.

Will you fix the Frontage Road?

As you can imagine, one of the most complained about streets in Byron is our Frontage Road. Due to years of adding new businesses along the Frontage Road, sewer and water lines have been dug across the road to tie into existing infrastructure. Over time, this has caused "swells" in the road which come and go with the freezing/thawing seasons. To completely fix the Frontage Road, a full reconstruction (base, curb, gutter, culverts, turn-lanes, etc) would be required at a cost of over $750,000. Considering that some of the Frontage Road may be re-aligned as further improvements are made to Hwy 14 (overpasses, entrance closures, etc), some feel it would be fiscally irresponsible to spend this much money on something that may be destroyed later.

Well, We Can't Just Ignore It?

At the Council Meeting on 3/11/09, I did recommend that we don't ignore the Frontage Road completely as part of this project and see what can be done to make this road respectable for several more years of use. In my opinion, the likelihood of an overpass coming to Byron in the next 5 years is very low. We simply can't wait (and do nothing) to the Frontage Road in the meantime. Our city engineer and Public Works Director have been challenged with coming up with a solution that will improve our Frontage Road in an affordable manner.

When Will Construction Start?

Here is the proposed timeline for the 2009 Street Project:

March 25: City Council accepts feasibility study, authorizes plans
April 22: WHKS, Inc. presents plans and specifications
May 13: Public hearing for assessing 20% of the project
June 10: City council awards contract to lowest bidder
June 29: Construction work begins
September: Construction work completed
October: Council authorizes the sale of bonds for the project

Comments?

If you have thoughts about the 2009 Street Project, please feel free to do so by leaving a comment on this website. Alternatively, you can contact your City Council Members directly.



Disclaimer: Articles posted on ByronMNBlog.com are the opinions of Councilman Alan De Keyrel only and do not reflect the opinion of the Byron City Council or the City of Byron. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be deemed accurate until verified.

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