Council gives unanimous approval to Main Street project

The Clear Lake City Council voted unanimously Monday night to proceed with the $980,273 East Main Avenue Reconstruction and Bike Lane Extension Project, but may consider a change in parking areas designated in the plan.

The Council held a public hearing on the proposed resolution of necessity for the work Monday.  Three property owners appeared to ask questions, with two of them voicing their opposition to the plan.

The total cost of the project estimated to be assessed against the benefited properties is $174,220, or 17.8 percent of the project cost.

The project, which extends from 20th to 24th Streets, will involve 43-foot wide, seven-inch thick PCC paving, storm sewer and piping installation, sub drain, water main and sanitary sewer work, as well as sidewalk improvements on the south side of Main and driveway improvements.

The City has been awarded grant funding from two separate Department of Transportation programs to offset project costs.  In response to one public comment about the work, Councilman Jim Boehnke questioned whether the $70,000 the City will receive for the bike lane extension component is worth losing the space for parking on both sides of Main Avenue between 20th and 24th Streets.

As currently designed, parking will be allowed on the south side of Main Avenue.  The five-foot bike lane will be designated next to the parking, as well as on the north side of the road.

Jason Petersburg, from Veenstra & Kimm, explained that the width of the road will not accommodate parking and bike lanes on both sides of the road.

Property owner Scott Kennedy said he opposed the plan and said the abundance of mailboxes on the south side of Main, and rules which prohibit parking near them, will reduce the availability of off-street parking for those on the south side of Main Avenue.  He also questioned the value of a bike lane, which he says may someday progress to 8th Street, but end there because there is not room for it to continue to the lake.

Petersburg said the Council could

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potentially change the plan to allow parking on the north side, but not the south side in the project area.

In casting their vote in favor of the project, Council members said they will investigate which side would provide for more parking.

The tentative schedule calls for the project bid letting to be held by the Iowa DOT on Jan. 18, 2017, with consideration of an award of a 75-day work contract on Feb. 6. Construction activities are proposed to begin in the spring of 2017.

Other business

In other business, the Council approved the purchase of a replacement single-axle plow truck and snow removal equipment.  The truck chassis and cab was bid using Iowa DOT State bid compact purchasing pricing.  The snow removal equipment package was bid separate from the truck chassis and cab for that reason.  The Council voted to purchase the chassis and cab plow truck from Harrison Truck Center, of Clear Lake, for $78,967 and the snow removal equipment package from Crysteel Truck Equipment, of Lake Crystal, Minn., for $106,375.

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