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Union Editor

The city of Anoka is in the first stages of planning street reconstruction for next year.

Monday the city council gave the go ahead to a feasibility study on the 2010 street renewal program.

Work will continue in the southeast corner of the city, Public Services Director and City Engineer Greg Lee told the council.

Targeted for reconstruction in 2010 is Elm Street and Oakwood Drive (both from Kings Lane to Queens Lane), Birch Street (from Kings Lane to Eastwood Lane), Westwood Lane (from Birch Street to River Avenue) and River Avenue (from Kings Lane to Westwood Lane).

The feasibility report will determine the scope and estimated cost of the project and will create a mock assessment roll, said Lee.

Once that report is complete, city staff will hold a neighborhood meeting where residents and homeowners can learn more about the proposed project. The next step would be a public hearing before the council approves final plans and goes out for bids.

Street renewal projects include the complete replacement of underlying water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer utility infrastructure, along with new curb, gutter and street surface.

The street renewal program is currently in its 10th year and works off a five-year plan.

But Lee said that staff is currently reevaluating the city’s pavement management program for 2011 through 2015. Council will likely be presented with that updated plan in December.

“We will look at what makes the most sense from a needs standpoint,” said Lee. “But we will also look at it from an economic budget standpoint – where we can get the most bang for our buck.”

And that might come in the way of more mill and overlay projects in areas where the utility infrastructure can hold out for another 15 to 20 years, said Lee.

Pavement management can include total street reconstruction, which has been happening for the past several years in the southeast corner of Anoka, mill and overlay or seal coating.

According to information provided by Senior Engineering Technician Russ Zastrow, the city has invested more than $18 million in neighborhood infrastructure during the last nine years through the program. This includes replacing nearly 60,000 lineal feet of 60 to 70 year old water main and sanitary sewer. Ten miles of city street have been replaced – 15 percent of the system – with 790 homes enjoying new water and sanitary sewer systems.

Lee noted that it is staff’s intention to complete the area south of East River Road, and then concentrate efforts in the Jefferson Street area, east of Seventh Avenue.

Several members of the council voiced their concerns over the deteriorating condition of many of Anoka’s streets.

City Manager Tim Cruikshank said there is money budgeted for mill and overlay projects in 2010. That budget will be finalized next month.

Lee said for streets that are in particularly bad shape, the mill and overlay work would involve a total reclaim and all new bituminous surfacing.

Mayor Phil Rice said it is a careful balance to spend the city’s street maintenance dollars wisely.

“It’s a dilemma to throw good money after bad money,” he said. “A three year fix for any amount of money is not money well spent.”

Mandy Moran Froemming is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it