Trail, landscaping tick forward for NE bridge
Published 10:49 am Tuesday, December 6, 2016
- 11th Drive Northeast bridge over Interstate 90.
The Austin City Council got an update on the additions planned for the project to replace the 11th Drive Northeast bridge over Interstate 90 during a Monday work session.
Public Works Director Steven Lang outlined how the city’s share of a widened sidewalk, landscaping and sidewalk/trail approaches will cost the city $127.993.87, but The Hormel Foundation previously approved $150,000 for the project as part of Vision 2020’s Visual Quality Manual to beautify bridges through the I-90 corridor in Austin.
“The $127,000 cost of this agreement with MnDOT is being covered 100 percent through The Hormel Foundation,” Lang said.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation will replace the bridge for an estimated $3 million and pay for some of the estimated $285,000 in aesthetics additions.
The additions are being done under new specifications outlined in the Visual Quality Manual developed by Vision 2020’s Gateway to Austin Committee. This is the first bridge being built under the plan, which outlines ways to beautify the I-90 corridor through Austin with landscaping, bridge designs and wider sidewalks.
The bulk of the city’s costs will be used to upgrade sidewalk width on the bridge from 6 to 10 feet, which will add about $100,000 to the project and cause the need for an extra bridge beam.
The city is covering 50 percent of the sidewalk widening from 6 feet to 10 feet, all costs for aesthetics over the state’s 7 percent allowance, all costs for landscaping over the state’s 2 percent allowance and all the costs for bike trail and sidewalk approaches.
The city will also be responsible for the maintenance of or reimbursement to MnDOT for the the bike trail, sidewalk approaches, landscaping and bridge aesthetics.
“The things that we’re asking for, we’re responsible for the maintenance on into the future,” Lang said.
The bridge, which is near the Mower County Recycling Center and the 1509 10th Place NE Kwik Trip, is set to be replaced starting in June 2017 shortly after work finishes to replace the Oakland Place Southeast bridge over Dobbins Creek.
