Council approves engineering for two traffic signals on Dayton Parkway; preliminary cost $1.5M

Dayton City Council on May 27 authorized staff to proceed with engineering services to signalize two intersections on Dayton Parkway near the I-94 interchange, following a feasibility/technical review. Staff said the project is justified by projected future traffic from new development and that warrants may not be met today but are expected as development proceeds.

Staff provided a preliminary project budget of about $750,000 per intersection (total approximately $1,500,000). Potential funding sources identified in the meeting included a voluntary contribution from Kwik Trip (discussed as about $440,000 in meeting remarks), an advance of municipal state aid of up to $1,000,000 that the city has available, and potential voluntary contributions from other property owners. Staff also noted the possibility of Hennepin County participation in construction delivery if Dayton Parkway becomes part of county jurisdiction in the future.

Staff outlined a schedule: complete plans and specifications and return to council in July, bid in August and begin construction in September (with a caveat that signal equipment lead times might delay activation even if underground work is completed before winter). Council members discussed staging the two intersections as base and alternate to minimize immediate city costs, and staff said they would return with bid packaging options; the council approved engineering and design authorization at the meeting.

Council voted to approve the engineering authorization for the project; staff recorded the vote as carrying 5-0.

Staff recommended pursuing the full design and then returning to council before awarding construction contracts so the council could confirm funding and packaging choices.