Mendota Heights Targets Street Deemed in Second-Worst Condition For Reconstruction

Wagon Wheel Trail residents are carefully watching the progress of a road reconstruction proposal at Mendota Heights City Hall that opponents say would erase the rural feel of the road and increase speeds and traffic volumes. Supporters say the project will provide a safer route for non-motorized travel and bring the street in line with city standards.

The condition of Wagon Wheel Trail is considered the second-worst in the city by the public works department, and it has been identified as the city's top 2011 street reconstruction project.

The roads in the worst shape, along Hunter Lane, were up for reconstruction last year, but residents convinced the council to delay that project until 2014 due to the state of the economy at the time.

Wagon Wheel was first built as a paved county road in 1966. It received a fresh surface in 1986 when it was designated a city street rather than a county thoroughfare. Now the road crumbles and cracks after decades of use.

The project–if approved at the next Mendota Heights City Council meeting, 7 p.m. Dec. 7–will reconstruct the road in the Rogers Lake neighborhood from Lexington Avenue South to Dodd Road. To comply with city policy, the asphalt road ranging from 26- to 28-feet-wide will be expanded to 33-feet across and concrete curb and gutter will be installed. 

The project will also make improvements to the storm sewer, replace fire hydrants, and install an 8-foot-wide asphalt trail on the north side of the road. Two out of four segments of the road will be reconstructed with a single lane of parking. It will be built to a nine-ton standard to receive municipal state aid funding. The trail costs $112,702 and will be bonded for. They are not part of the assessment.

The city also plans to replace the asphalt cover on Swan Court, Rogers Court and Alice Lane, bringing these roadways  to a nine-ton standard that can handle the wear and tear of  vehicle traffic in the future. Residents affected by the replacement will be assessed $2,500. The cul de sacs already have curb and gutter.

Resident Mary Sterling said her family has owned its property since the '60s, and she has watched the neighborhood grow. Sterling said her opposition to the project is the proposed curb and gutter, which she said will cause drainage problems and siphon more pollutants into the lake. Currently, Wagon Wheel Trail runoff is managed through a ditch system, which city engineer John Mazzitello said may not operate correctly after years of silt have settled into the ground.

Sterling and a handful of residents who spoke at a recent public hearing said the country-like feel of the road adds character to the neighborhood.

Resident Mary Bebel had collected petition signatures opposing the project in its entirety.* Resident Rita Lahtonen conducted an informal survey of her own to identify alternative solutions. 

Lahtonen wants to preserve the rural qualities of the street by not installing curb and gutter, and said she thinks expanding the road to look wider will encourage faster driving.

The city's proposal appears just fine to Rogers Court resident Geof Lory, who said he attended the public hearing mostly to make sure that the trail would be included in the project. Wagon Wheel Trail isn't a particularly safe road to walk on, said Lory, especially during the winter when the shoulder isn't plowed. He said the comments made by other residents who did not want to pay for the Wagon Wheel Trail project because of their personal preferences was "selfish."

Safety was also a concern for resident Sean Parnell, who said at the hearing that his two small children walk 150 yards along Wagon Wheel to get to the school bus. "Do I want to pay $8,500? No. Will I pay $8,500 to keep my kids safe? Any day," he said.

The cost of not installing curb and gutter may not be a realistic option, even for opponents. 

Under the city's proposal, the affected properties on Wagon Wheel Trail will be assessed 26 percent of the project cost, or $8,500 per unit. Homeowners have the option of having the cost assessed onto their property taxes and amortized over the next 19 years at a six percent interest rate, for a total payment of $13,702. 

A city policy passed in 1992 requires road projects to expand roads to 33 feet and install curb and gutter. To diverge from that policy, residents would have to shoulder the full cost of the $1.8 million project, which rockets the cost to $29,400 per unit. Residents could then choose to amortize the assessment over 10 years at a six percent interest rate for a total cost of $39,582.

"It's a sinking ship; it's a losing battle," said Lahtonen. "I'm really disheartened by the whole thing. A lot of people don't want change. We don't want to spend the money … and there's nothing we can do."

One possible compromise being discussed between residents and city engineers would be to install surmountable curb along Wagon Wheel Trail for a more relaxed feel. Surmountable curbs slope to the property line rather than form a 90-degree angle. However, they do not function the same as traditional curb would in a storm water management system, and require even more setback space. Surmountable curbs also pose a problem for plow drivers who rely on a curb to feel the edge of the road.

Because Mayor John Huber and council member Mary Jeanne Schneeman were absent at the Nov. 16 hearing, a four-vote consensus was not possible. The public hearing was continued to the next meeting, when a vote on the project is expected to occur.

IF YOU GO

What: Mendota Heights City Council meeting

When: 7 p.m., Dec. 7, 2010,

Where:  Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights.

*Editor's note: This story has been revised. A previous version incorrectly identified the resident who gathered the original petition signatures.