MONTICELLO — Plans to construct two roundabouts along School Boulevard — at the heavily trafficked intersections with Cedar Street and Edmonson Avenue — may finally be a step closer toward reality.
After successfully securing about $1.5 million in federal grant funds last year for the construction of the two single-lane roundabouts, the city has been trying to obtain the necessary easements from property owners in the area for the acquisition of this right-of-way.
Now, the City Council at its most recent meeting July 8 passed a motion authorizing the approval of a public interest finding to purchase the right-of-way, with a plan to pursue the construction of the two roundabouts as one project in 2025.
“It’s one of the worst intersections in the city, so it needs to be done,” said Mayor Lloyd Hilgart.
If the project does move forward, construction is slated to start next spring, with a plan to put the work up for bid this coming winter.
Total project costs, including engineering, right-of-way acquisition, construction, legal services and contingency, are estimated at $3.2 million, with nearly $1.5 million to be paid by the grants.
Costs to the city will include about $907,000 to be paid with capital project funds and $309,000 covered by the street lighting fund.
According to Public Works Director/City Engineer Matt Leonard, the 2024 Capital Projects Fund budget includes just under $2.5 million, and the 2025 budget will include any remaining costs, since this is now a multi-year project.
At the last City Council meeting, Leonard shared the hurdles faced in trying to construct the roundabouts, with right-of-way needs for both projects involving the partial acquisition of seven parcels, owned by seven different property owners.
While easements for the Edmonson roundabout are nearly all in place, he explained Cedar Street was not as far along.
“We approved the purchase of right-of-way for the Edmonson roundabout. We needed four acquisitions for that roundabout. We have one of those finalized, three are still being worked out with property owners to get those signed, but they’ve all agreed and have been approved,” he said. “For Cedar Street, we don’t quite have agreements made for the acquisition of those easements.”
Negotiations are now pending on two of the parcels for Cedar Street, while design changes may be possible to eliminate the need for another of the remaining properties.
Both the city and MnDOT believe construction of the two roundabouts should be completed together, allowing for better bid pricing due to the larger quantities, a reduction in construction inspection and management costs and less impact to the traveling public as the work zone could be better managed by a single contractor given the proximity of these intersections.
Leonard said his team has been working with MnDOT to ensure that the grant money can be maintained, given that some of the funds were allocated to be used in 2024. In addition, MnDOT agreed to sign a public interest finding that states it would be in the public’s best interest to construct these projects together and keep the funding.
“Initially, we thought we might lose our federal funding if we didn’t split the roundabouts up and do Edmonson first, but working with MnDOT, they’ve given us an avenue to still keep the project together and construct both projects together. But it would require us to commit to condemnation with the properties that we don’t have right-of-way agreements done by Aug. 19,” Leonard said.
The agreement would require the city proceed with condemnation proceedings if right-of-way isn’t secured by Aug. 19, the deadline set by MnDOT, but Leonard explained this would be something of a last resort.
“We would diligently work with the last couple of property owners to get agreements made, and then, if we aren’t able to reach formal agreements by that date, then we would move on to condemnation,” he said.
That route will likely no longer be necessary, given recent developments just last week with one of the last remaining property owners, Wal-Mart, which appears to be on board.
Condemnation essentially exercises eminent domain, allowing an easement to take place over private property. It allows public authorities to take over a parcel of land, with the owner compensated according to the land’s actual market value.
“Either way, we need the land,” Hilgart said. “If the bureaucracy is such that we have to go this route, then we have to go this route.”
Condemnation proceedings would require additional attorney fees. In addition, the court would determine the appropriate cost of right-of way, which is currently unknown, Leonard said.
He said the city has used the condemnation process in the past, with the last time being construction of the Fallon Avenue overpass, completed in 2018.
Council member Tracy Hinz asked, “What is the typical process of condemnation?”
Leonard explained how it would likely work.
“We would file a petition with the court to start the process,” he said. “There’s like a 90-day window, I think, and then we actually take possession of that land. And then we could start the project. Or we could get approval on the project. … And then the court process would just happen in the background, kind of as the project is happening. It could take a year or two. And then the court would just decide how much they think that land is worth.”
City leaders believe replacing the four-way stop signs at each intersection with roundabouts will provide greater safety and efficiency, an idea that was reinforced through a traffic analysis completed as part of the Pointes at Cedar planning process.
The Pointes at Cedar development project aims to meld residential living, commercial business and recreation opportunities around a series of small lakes on a nearly 100-acre development directly in this area — between Chelsea Road on the north and School Boulevard to the south; from Cedar Street east to Edmonson Avenue.
The Pointes project is sure to add even more traffic to the area, further bolstering the need for the two roundabouts in the eyes of municipal leaders.
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