New Ulm council orders 2025 surface-reconstruction project after public hearing; residents press assessment concern

The City Council of New Ulm voted March 18 to order the 2025 surface reconstruction project and authorized the Street Department to construct five planned street segments after a public hearing that drew several residents who said heavy truck traffic accelerated pavement damage.

The hearing covered five segments included in the 2025 Capital Improvement Plan engineering report the council adopted Nov. 19, 2024. The engineering report recommends assessing property owners at 45% of the full reconstruction rate; staff said that equates to $2,140 per adjacent single-family parcel. Assessments are proposed to be payable over 10 years; staff said bonds for the work have not yet been sold and the interest rate is not known. Council members voted to order the improvements by roll call.

Why it matters: The projects are part of the city's multi-year pavement program and will change street sections, sidewalks and parking configurations on multiple blocks. Residents facing assessments pressed the council for exemptions or reductions, citing unusual wear from heavy truck traffic during nearby construction projects.

Residents urged relief for 20 Third North. Rick Trollick, who gave his address as 729 20 Third North, said the street ‘‘had excessive truck traffic’’ tied to construction and a nearby gravel pit and that the resulting dust and wear made it unfair to pay the full assessment. Christopher Reese, 713 20 Third North, described trucks traveling ‘‘every 35 to 45 seconds’’ during past work and asked whether the street had been designed for truck loading and unloading.

City staff told the council the 20 Third North segment was constructed with 5 inches of bituminous material and that the proposed work would rebuild it with a typical residential section of 4 inches, because the segment is now signed as ‘‘no trucks’’ following completion of a nearby connector. Staff also explained the assessment practice: the engineering report recommends a special assessment at 45% of the full reconstruction rate with incremental adjustments for multifamily and nonresidential parcels. When asked about multifamily charges, staff said the Ridgeway assisted-living property would be assigned two equivalent units and that its assessment for the frontage on the project would total $4,280 under the proposed formula.

City staff and councilors repeatedly noted that past city practice has been to levy assessments per parcel regardless of perceived usage; staff recommended continuing that approach rather than creating parcel-by-parcel exceptions for roads that experienced temporary heavy use.

Process and timing: The council opened and closed the public hearing at the March 18 meeting and approved a resolution ordering the projects and authorizing construction. Staff said the formal adoption of individual assessment amounts would occur at a later public hearing, most likely in fall 2026. Staff also noted the segments were included in the capital plan and that the council must meet a four-fifths legal threshold to order improvements; the roll-call vote on March 18 was recorded in favor, satisfying that threshold.

Project list: the five segments listed by staff were: - 20 Third North: North Broadway to Terrace Drive (subject of most public comments) - Eleventh South Street: Payne Street to Jefferson Street - Fifth North Street: Broadway to German Street - Fifteenth South Street: State Street to Washington Street - Summit Avenue: State Park Road to Gulf Drive

Council action: The council adopted the resolution ordering the 2025 surface reconstruction project and authorizing the Street Department to construct the work. Staff will return with assessment details and financing terms for later council action.

What comes next: Staff said design and scheduling will proceed; assessments will be formally calculated and presented at a future hearing before any tax levies or bonds are issued.