Lake Elmo council orders 2026 street and utility work, approves design contract

The Lake Elmo City Council on Oct. 21 approved a resolution ordering the 2026 Street and Utility Improvements for the Lake Elmo Heights and Eagle Creek Point Estates neighborhoods and authorized a design-and-bid professional services contract not to exceed $138,600.

City Engineer Nate Stanley told the council the improvement area includes residential streets adjacent to the Inwood Avenue segment Washington County rehabilitated earlier in the year and that the feasibility study recommends full-depth reclamation and concrete (B418) curb and gutter to maximize street life. "This is a not to exceed," Stanley said when explaining the $138,600 figure for final design and bidding services, adding that the amount consolidates services that had been split in prior years and includes staff and project-team time.

The improvement work, Stanley said, will generally preserve existing street widths and geometrics while replacing storm structures as needed. Per city policy, 30% of project costs are eligible for assessment to benefiting properties. The feasibility study estimated assessments at about $15,000 per lot in much of Lake Elmo Heights, a lower $6,800 assessment for one cul-de-sac with smaller lots, and just under $16,000 for larger-lot streets in the Eagle Creek Point Estates area.

During the public hearing, two residents spoke. Jim Greenguard of 2677 Imperial Avenue asked whether the city has a long-range plan to extend sanitary sewer to the area; the council responded that the area is outside the Metropolitan Urban Service Area and remains on private septic, so no sewer extension is planned. Steve Meyer questioned whether mill-and-overlay would be a cheaper option; Stanley replied that the streets exhibit full-depth asphalt failure so reclamation is required rather than mill-and-overlay.

After closing the hearing, the council approved the resolution ordering the improvements. The council then unanimously authorized the city administrator to enter a contract with Bolton & Menk (consultant name as referenced in the meeting) for final design and bidding phase services, not to exceed $138,600. Both votes were taken by voice and recorded as passed.

What happens next: pending the contracted final plans and specifications, the city will move into detailed design and, later, construction bidding and assessment proceedings. City staff said they will inspect existing valves and hydrants during the design phase to identify any needed spot repairs.