by Tim Hennagir
Life Editor

Blaine City Council members decided Radisson Road’s reconstruction fate Thursday night with a 4-3 vote in favor of the project.

During a roll call vote, Councilmembers Dave Clark, Katherine Kolb, Dick Swanson and Mayor Tom Ryan voted yes. Councilmembers Mike Bourke, Russ Herbst and Wes Hovland voted no. Ryan cast the deciding vote to break a 3-3 tie.

City leaders approved a joint powers agreement (JPA) with Anoka County and no parking restrictions on Radisson from 127th Avenue to the city limits.

Council members also supported construction of a noise wall on the east side of Radisson Road south of Quail Creek Parkway N.E.

City leaders also approved the “Radisson Road Impact Assistance Program” to  help property owners.

The city and county will each provide $100,000 to mitigate project impacts to the residents who have not been included in the county’s right-of-way process.

Project background

City Engineer Jean Keely summarized recent developments and key dates affecting the Radisson Road project in a background memo prepared for the city council’s July 9 meeting.

Anoka County has prepared final construction plans to reconstruct Radisson from just south of its intersection with 125th Avenue to Bunker Lake Boulevard.

The project includes a four-lane divided road with limited access, concrete median, turn lanes, a traffic signal at 129th Avenue/Quail Creek Parkway and west side trail.

The estimated total project cost is $12.28 million with federal funding capped at $7.65 million.

Many public meetings

Anoka County conducted three Radisson public information meetings: one May 30, 2007, another Nov. 8, 2007 and a third meeting June 24, 2008.

An additional county meeting with residents and Blaine City Council members was held May 20.

In order for Anoka County to proceed with this project, it needed municipal consent from Blaine in the form of an approved JPA.

Doug Fischer, Anoka County’s highway engineer, had asked the council to approve the JPA June 18 because a federal funding sunset date will occur March 31, 2010.

If the county did get not municipal consent by that date, it would have lost federal money for the project, Fischer said.

The total estimated project construction cost to the city (less federal funds) for the project is $459,335.

The estimated cost to the city for construction engineering is $79,128 and overall estimated project cost to Blaine would be $538,464.

Blaine will be responsible for storm ponds and mainline storm pipe maintenance, traffic signals and the trail as well as plan preparation for water main or sewer work.

City staff has recommend using utility funds for water main or sanitary sewer work and Municipal State Aid (MSA) for curb and gutter, trail, storm drainage and traffic signals.

Settlement agreements

Earlier this week, Fischer reported Anoka County had reached settlement agreements with 27 of 61 Blaine property owners and 21 of 55 parcels in Ham Lake.

According to Fischer, the $100,000 city-county matching fund to help property owners would be included as part of the JPA and would require the county board’s approval.

Now that Blaine has approved the JPA, Fischer said the document would go to the county’s public works committee July 13 and fiscal control committee July 14 for review.

Anoka County Board commissioners would vote on the JPA at their July 21 meeting, Fischer said.

According to Fischer, Anoka County would then proceed with right-of-way acquisitions, including condemnation of property lacking settlement agreements.

The county would then seek final design plan approval from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

According to Fischer, before project bids could be let this fall, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approval would also be required, as well as environmental assessment work and regulatory permits.

See next week’s print edition of the Blaine-Spriing Lake Park Life for full coverage of Thursday night’s Radisson Road vote.

Tim Hennagir is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .