History: The County Board approved Resolution 10-0341 transferring jurisdiction of Trunk Highway (TH) 12 (Wayzata Boulevard) between Sixth Avenue North (CSAH 6) and the TH 12 bypass in the cities of Orono and Long Lake from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to the county. The approval included a stipulation that MnDOT would make state turnback funding available for engineering, right of way acquisition and construction of improvements along the highway corridor as a condition of the transfer. This section of the roadway is now known as Wayzata Boulevard (CSAH 112).

Design for the reconstruction of Wayzata Boulevard required consultant services and a selection committee consisting of staff from MnDOT, the county and the cities of Orono and Long Lake was convened. The committee interviewed consultants and recommended SRF Consulting Group, Inc. (SRF). Subsequently, the board has approved various agreements with SRF for preliminary and detail design for the construction of the CSAH 112 roadway corridor.

Construction of the Wayzata Boulevard improvements will be accomplished in three phases. Construction of the first phase, from Willow Drive to Wolf Pointe Trail, began spring 2017 and will be substantially completed by fall 2018. Resolution 16-0451 authorized approval of Agreement PW 25-32-16 with the cities of Orono and Long Lake establishing each party’s responsibilities for this section of roadway reconstruction at an estimated county cost of $14,447,973 and an estimated cities cost of $1,301,395 (CP 2091101). 

Construction of the second phase of the roadway from Wolf Pointe Trail to the TH 12 ramps is scheduled to begin spring 2018 with substantial completion in the summer of 2019 (CP 2091102). The construction schedule for the third phase from Sixth Avenue North to Willow Drive is currently under consideration (CP 2091103). County staff are coordinating the design of this section of roadway reconstruction with the cities of Orono and Long Lake. However, construction activities for this section of roadway will be scheduled when state turnback funding is confirmed. 

Current Request: This request is for authorization to negotiate Agreement PW 56-32-17 with the cities of Long Lake and Orono identifying each party’s responsibilities related to the construction and maintenance of phase two of Wayzata Boulevard from east of Wolf Pointe Trail to the TH 12 ramps under CP 2091102. 

Proposed Agreement PW 56-32-17 stipulates the county will prepare the plans and specifications, receive bids and award a construction contract for the work, and administer the construction contract. Cost participation stipulated in the agreement calls for Long Lake to pay the county an estimated $713,342 for its share of the roadway improvement costs. Similarly, cost participation stipulated in the agreement calls for Orono to pay the county an estimated $89,183 for its share of the roadway improvement costs. Funding for the county’s cost participation in the construction costs for the road project will be financed by a combination of State Turnback, State Aid Regular, State Aid Municipal, and Property Tax funds.

To mitigate the impact of tree loss due to the project, the proposed agreement also stipulates that the county will pay the City of Orono an estimated $71,543 to install landscaping and streetscaping within the roadway corridor, including within the City of Long Lake, upon construction completion via a separate municipal project. Funding for the county’s cost participation in the costs for Orono’s landscaping project will be State Turnback funds.

Included in the project is the installation of a conduit system to accommodate future county fiber optic cable installation in Long Lake and Orono at an estimated $88,050 cost to be financed by the county’s IT fiber program.

To reflect the identified revenue sources and anticipated expenditures, it is recommended that the project budget for CP 2091102 be reflected in the 2017 – 2021 CIP as follows:

It should be noted that the overall project budget does not increase and the project budget remains $12,350,000. The cost participation for this project is in accordance with the county’s approved Cost Participation Policy (Resolution 12-0058).

Impact/Outcomes: Approval of this agreement will establish each party’s responsibilities for the reconstruction of Wayzata Boulevard under CP 2091102 and will provide for Long Lake’s and Orono’s cost participation in the project. The project will reconstruct 1.07 miles of the former TH 12 and will add an off-road multi-use trail and sidewalk to increase safety and promote active living.