Council rejects design for ‘islands’ at Main Avenue intersections

The Clear Lake City Council rejected a recommendation to incorporate “bump outs” at downtown Main Street intersections included in its Main Avenue Brick Paver Sidewalk Reconstruction process scheduled to begin this fall.

Jason Petersburg, of Veenstra & Kimm, the consulting engineer for the $711,000 project, suggested that to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) islands should be created to construct ADA compliant sidewalk ramps.  The islands would allow for grading while maintaining the existing tie in points to adjacent buildings, he explained.  The islands would extend four-feet into the one-way roadway.  The bump outs would also provide convenient placement of new trash receptacles and signage out of the paths of pedestrians.

City Council members unanimously opposed the bump-out islands, saying they would hamper snow removal efforts downtown.

The islands have been a point of contention where they were installed on Buddy Holly Place a few years ago.  Although the proposed downtown islands would be smaller, all four Council members present Monday were not in favor.  Council Representative Mark Ebeling was not present.

The only other option offered by V&K is to utilize the conventional method of constructing the ramps in the roadway radius.  However, Petersburg noted the method will produce undesirable grades and grade changes to ensure ADA requirements are met.  Building tie-in elevations will need to be lowered “drastically” in most intersection corners.  Due to tie-in elevations changing, building owners will need to alter their current building facade to accommodate the sidewalk being much lower adjacent to the building.

The project schedule calls for a public hearing at a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22.  Notices to the affected property owners, who will be assessed for a portion of the work,  will be mailed by the city this week.  Bid letting for the project is proposed for Aug. 31, with construction beginning in mid-September and continuing as weather permits until approximately mid-November.  Work will then resume in early April 2017 with a conclusion date of June 23.

The reconstructed sidewalks will have a

[wlm_nonmember]To read more of this article, please login or sign up for our E-Edition[/wlm_nonmember]

[wlm_ismember]

Portland Cement Concrete paver base that the bricks already used on Main Avenue will be reinstalled upon.  With placement on concrete instead of sand, the longevity and smoothness of the brick pavers is expected to improve because they will be less susceptible to the freeze-thaw cycle.

Earlier this year the Council chose to re-use the existing engraved and plain brick pavers and re-install them as close as possible to the same location.

Other business

In other business at Monday night’s Council meeting, the Council awarded a Professional Service Agreement with WHKS, of Mason City, for the city’s 14th Avenue North Street Reconstruction Project.  The project is one of the major capital improvement projects planned for in the 2017 fiscal year budget, spanning from North 8th Street to the east return of Logan Drive.

The City received three responses to its RFP for consulting services, with WHKS being the low bidder at $27,800.  WHKS will provide design, special assessment services, 40 hours of construction administration, and 120 hours of resident review services.

The project will be partially funded by special assessments against the benefitted properties.  The City budgeted $235,000 in FY 17 for construction and other costs.

The proposed project schedule calls for bid letting no later than Jan. 11.  Construction is anticipated to begin in April 2017 and be complete prior to June 23, 2017.

[/wlm_ismember]