- Home
- Your Government
- Departments
- Engineering
- City Improvement Projects
- 2023 PROJECTS
- 167th Avenue Reconstruction IP 23-04
167th Avenue Reconstruction IP 23-04
September 25, 2023
To date, the Contractor has installed the new storm sewer pipes and structures and re-graded the ditch north of 167th Avenue on the west side of Trunk Highway 47. This will control storm water runoff on the east end of 167th Avenue. The concrete curb and gutter between Trunk Highway 47 and Quicksilver Street have also been installed.
During the week of September 25, the Contractor is scheduled to finish the concrete driveways and pedestrian ramps. Also, the Contractor is scheduled to reclaim the existing bituminous pavement and aggregate base between Nowthen Boulevard and Quicksilver Street on Tuesday, September 26, this is weather dependent.
August 10, 2023
On August 2, 2023, the City held a pre-construction meeting with the project contractor, Asphalt Surface Technologies Corp. (ASTECH) of Saint Cloud, Minnesota. The purpose of the meeting was to review the Contractor’s proposed construction schedule, share contact information, check the status of permits, and discuss relevant construction-related procedures, processes, and requirements.
Construction Schedule – the contractor plans to start work the week of August 21 and will substantially complete their work by October 17, 2023. However, contractor schedules are subject to change due to many factors, including adverse weather conditions, equipment failure, staffing shortages, material supply chain issues, and commitments to other projects.
ASTECH discussed the following construction processes with the City:
Week Process (estimated duration)*
August 21 Place traffic control devices (1 day)
Saw cut pavement at intersecting streets and driveways (1 day)
Install erosion control practices, including silt fence (1 day)
August 23 Remove asphalt and concrete for storm sewer and culvert crossings (2 days)
Reclaim areas where the existing curb is located (1 day)
August 28 Remove existing curb (3 days)
August 31 Install new curb and pedestrian ramps (3 days)
September 4 Pond excavation (3 days)
September 7 Reclaim 167th Avenue pavement (2 days)
September 11 Remove driveways to saw cuts (2 days)
September 13 Salvage and stockpile pavement reclaim material (2 days)
September 15 Subgrade excavation (2 days)
September 19 Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation (SFDR) operations (3 days)
Final grading to prepare for paving (4 days)
September 25 Pave base course (2 days)
September 27 Place topsoil (3 days)
October 2 Seed topsoil (2 days)
October 9 Pave wear course (2 days)
October 16 Stripe pavement and install street signs (2 days)
*Process timelines are estimates and subject to change or overlap during construction.
Access to Property – During construction, access to driveways and streets may be partially restricted during regular working hours. Access to driveways may be restricted for up to seven days where concrete curb and gutter are installed and concrete driveway aprons are removed and replaced. This will allow the new concrete section adequate time to cure. During these times, walk-on access will be maintained to all properties by the end of each work day, and vehicles parked on the street overnight in such instances will not be ticketed. If you have special access needs during construction, please contact the City as soon as possible so we can work to accommodate your needs.
Irrigation/Invisible Fences – private lawn irrigation systems and in-ground invisible dog fences may be impacted by this work. Relocating and/or repairing systems within the public right of ways as needed to accommodate construction is the property owner's responsibility. If you have a below-ground irrigation system or invisible fence, please mark your pipes, wires, and/or sprinkler heads with flags or stakes to assist the Contractor in preventing or minimizing damage to your system during construction. Free flags are available at the Engineering Department in the Ramsey Municipal Center located on the second floor at the above address. To help ensure that your system will not be damaged during this project, please relocate sprinkler heads and other system components located within the construction limits, which City staff will identify for you upon request.
June 30, 2023
On June 27, 2023, the Ramsey City Council awarded the construction contract for this street reconstruction project to Asphalt Surface Technologies Corp. of Saint Cloud, Minnesota. Staff is working with the Contractor on the execution of the contract and scheduling for the preconstruction meeting. The project will be substantially complete by October 13, 2023.
During the preconstruction meeting, the Contractor will provide information to the City including; contact information for themselves and their subcontractors, a detailed project schedule, proposed work hours and construction methods, traffic control plans, and other construction-related information.
During construction, access to driveways and streets may be partially restricted during normal working hours. Access to driveways may be restricted for up to seven days where concrete curb and gutter are being installed and concrete driveway aprons are removed and replaced. This will allow the new concrete section adequate time to cure. During these times walk-on access will be maintained to all properties by the end of each work day. If you have special access needs during construction, please contact us as soon as possible so we can work to accommodate your needs.
Typical construction sequencing involves placement of temporary construction signs first, followed by sediment control installation, pavement reclamation, storm sewer installation, site grading, construction of any new concrete curb and gutter, concrete driveways, preparing the aggregate base, constructing bituminous base course on streets, establishing turf, and constructing bituminous wear course on street and driveways. Specific dates for each construction operation will be dependent on the weather and other factors that may be out of the City’s or the Contractor’s control. However, the goal is to complete construction as quickly as possible once construction begins to minimize impacts on property owners and the traveling public.
This work may impact private lawn irrigation systems. Relocating and/or repairing private irrigation systems within the public right of ways as needed to accommodate construction is the property owner’s responsibility. If you have a below-ground irrigation system adjacent to 167th Avenue, please mark your sprinkler heads with flags or stakes to assist the Contractor in preventing or minimizing damage to your system during construction. Free flags are available at the Engineering Department in the Ramsey Municipal Center, located on the second floor at the above address. To help ensure your system will not be damaged during this project, please relocate sprinkler heads and other system components located within the construction limits, which City Staff will locate for you upon request.
This project was awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, Asphalt Surface Technologies Corp., for $1,511,455.59. These improvements will be funded using a combination of Municipal State Aid (MSA) Funds and Stormwater Utility Funds. Property owners will not be assessed for any portion of this project.
May 26, 2023
On May 23, 2023, the Ramsey City Council approved the final plans and specifications and authorized advertisement for bids for the 167th Avenue Reconstruction project. Bids will be advertised on Friday, May 26, and again on Friday, June 2, 2023, in the Anoka Union Herald. The City bids on all improvement project online through the Quest CDN website. The website will also make notice of the proposed project to contractors. Bids are proposed to be opened on June 20, 2023, and brought to the Tuesday, June 27, 2023, City Council meeting to consider awarding the contract for construction to the lowest responsible bidder.
An update letter has been mailed to property owners with updates on the project status. It may be viewed here.
The plans and specifications have also been submitted to the MnDOT State Aid office for review. State Aid approval is required prior to opening bids.
May 5, 2023
The City has been coordinating plan production with Bolton & Menk, Inc. for these improvements. To date, 90 percent of plans have been received and reviewed by City Staff. The preliminary schedule anticipates bringing a case forward to the Tuesday, May 23 City Council meeting for Council consideration to approve plans and authorize advertisement for bidding on the project. If City Council authorizes advertisement for bidding, Staff anticipates bringing the lowest responsible bid to the Tuesday, June 27 City Council meeting for Council to consider awarding a contract for construction.
March 30, 2023
To meet the required MSA design standards, several pavement sections were considered. SFDR was determined to be the most cost-effective method of reconstruction. This process involves reclamation (grinding in place) of the existing bituminous pavement plus a portion of the underlying aggregate base. Excess reclaimed material is then removed as needed so the new pavement matches existing shoulders, driveways, and cross streets. The remaining material receives liquid asphalt emulsion, which is then mixed in, rolled, and compacted. Once compacted, the SFDR can be opened up to traffic and gains strength with the further compaction of vehicle traffic.
Stabilizing the reclamation allows for a thinner overall pavement section, avoiding the need to excavate below the existing aggregate base to make costly subgrade corrections. Staff is confident that the SFDR process will provide as long of a life for the new pavement section as a full reconstruction with subgrade corrections would but at a significantly lower cost.
On March 28, 2023, the Ramsey City Council accepted a proposal from Braun Intertec to perform a Stabilized Full-Depth Reclamation (SFDR) mix design for 167th Avenue.
On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, a public informational meeting was held for these improvements. The purpose of this meeting was to present information on the proposed project to owners of the properties that directly access 167th Avenue. The PowerPoint presentation from that meeting may be seen on this webpage under Related Documents.
February 22, 2023
A public information meeting will occur from 5:30-6:30 on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in the Lake Itasca Room at the Ramsey Municipal Center, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW. The purpose of this meeting is to present information on the proposed project to owners of properties that directly access 167th Avenue, which is proposed to be reconstructed in 2023. View the letter online.
August 31, 2023
To date, the Contractor has reclaimed the pavement on the east end of 167th Avenue and at the locations of storm sewer culvert work. This is to assist with removing and replacing the storm sewer, which is currently scheduled to begin Wednesday, September 6. Storm sewer culvert replacement is anticipated to take 5 days to complete. Additionally, the concrete curb between Quicksilver Street and Trunk Highway 47 has been removed. New curb will be placed following storm sewer work.
On Thursday, September 7, the Contractor is currently scheduled to begin reclaiming the pavement between Quicksilver Street and Nowthen Boulevard (CSAH 5). This is anticipated to take 2 days to complete. 167th Avenue will remain open to local traffic during the reclamation process but may experience short periods of access limitations while the equipment is going past side streets and driveways.
Residents are reminded that 167th Avenue is closed to thru traffic during construction. Please avoid traveling on 167th Avenue if at all possible.
February 15, 2023
City Improvement Project 23-04 proposes to reconstruct 167th Avenue between Nowthen Boulevard (CSAH 5) and Saint Francis Boulevard (TH 47). The street totals approximately 6,000 lineal feet (1.13 miles) in length and varies between a 40-foot-wide rural section (0.97 miles) and a 48-foot-wide urban section (0.16 miles). A full shoulder/parking lane exists on both sides of the street for the entire length of the street.
On June 14, 2022, the Ramsey City Council accepted a proposal for a topographic survey of the project area from Bolton & Menk. The staff has received the survey, which is used during project design.
On August 23, 2022, the Ramsey City Council ordered Staff to prepare plans and specifications for Improvement Project 23-04, 167th Avenue Reconstruction. A geotechnical report proposal from Haugo Geotechnical Services was accepted at this same City Council meeting. The report indicated a mix of good soils for street construction and poor soils containing silt and clay soil which are generally not ideal for street construction/support.
On October 11, 2022, the Ramsey City Council Authorized Staff to apply for between $50,000 and $500,000 in funding through the Minnesota Active Transportation State Infrastructure Program to construct pedestrian and bicycle facilities along 167th Avenue between Nowthen Boulevard and Saint Francis Boulevard as part of the 167th Avenue Reconstruction project. Staff estimates $350,000 for the pedestrian and bicycle facility construction costs as part of this project. Project selection is finalized Friday, March 24, 2023, and award letters are distributed to selected projects at that time. If awarded and accepted, the funds cover only construction costs associated with the pedestrian and bicycle facility construction, reimbursed per the awarded lowest responsible bid. If not awarded, Municipal State Aid (MSA) funds are proposed to be used as the funding source for the improvements.
On November 22, 2022, the Ramsey City Council accepted a proposal from Bolton & Menk, Inc. to prepare final plans and specifications for Improvement Project 23-04, 167th Avenue Reconstruction for the City of Ramsey.
Project Scope
167th Avenue is a Municipal State Aid (MSA) street and must be designed to MSA standards. The street is proposed to generally stay at the current 40-foot rural section width and 48-foot urban section width. The existing curb and gutter are generally in good shape and only spot repairs are proposed as necessary. The street is also required to meet an MSA 10-ton pavement strength design standard. Traffic counts taken in 2021 on 167th Avenue found an Average Daily Traffic (ADT) count between 1,637 (west end) and 2,322 (east end). Based on traffic levels, the estimated pavement section will be approximately 9 inches thick, but a review of the geotechnical report will be necessary to determine how the existing sub-base materials will impact the design.
City staff has received numerous inquiries from residents if additional pedestrian facilities will be added to the reconstruction project. Bolton & Menk is investigating possible alternatives for adding an off-street trail along 167th Avenue or creating on-street facilities. Currently, the 8 - to 10-foot-wide shoulders are a shared use for bicycles and pedestrians. Any improvements must meet both MSA standards and ADA standards.
Municipal water exists from Quicksilver Street (approximately 650 feet west of TH 47) to Nowthen Boulevard. Sanitary sewer does not exist in the project area. The City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan identifies a future MUSA Study Area for extending a trunk sanitary sewer line to the 167th Avenue / TH 47 land use node. This project does not propose to make that extension. Currently, the northeast quadrant of Nowthen Boulevard and 167th Avenue can be served from the sanitary sewer line extended south as part of the Brookside Elementary School project, north of 167th Avenue on Nowthen Boulevard.
Funding for this improvement project is proposed to come from the MSA Fund ($1,680,000) and the Storm Sewer Utility Fund ($168,000) for a total project estimated cost of $1,848,000 as identified in the 2023 to 2032 Capital Improvement Program. This does not include the costs of any pedestrian/bicycle improvements.
Property owners will not be assessed for any of the costs for these improvements.
Correspondence
On August 25, 2022, residents impacted by the 167th Avenue Reconstruction project were sent a project notification letter including notice that a geotechnical crew would be performing soil borings in the area. Read the notification letter.