Council approves Phase 2 of Cedar Lake Road/Louisiana Avenue rebuild; additional local funds sought for trees and utilities

The St. Louis Park City Council approved final plans and authorized advertisement for bids for Phase 2 of the Cedar Lake Road and Louisiana Avenue reconstruction project, which will complete corridor improvements, add pedestrian and bicycle facilities and install a roundabout at Cedar Lake Road and Louisiana Avenue.

Project engineer Aaron Wiesen reviewed the multi‑phase project history and public engagement dating to 2022. Phase 2 covers Louisiana Avenue north of the fire station in 2025 and the remaining Cedar Lake Road/Louisiana Avenue segments and a roundabout in 2026. Approved corridor elements include narrowed travel lanes for traffic calming, new sidewalks, multi‑use cycle‑track facilities where feasible and an alternate bike route on nearby streets where corridor constraints require it. Staff said the project also replaces underground utilities nearing the end of their useful life.

Wiesen reported three cost pressures since the council last discussed the project. Contaminated soils discovered during environmental review will require disposal; staff applied for a $600,000 environmental response grant and will know in April whether the grant is awarded. The project also added rectangular rapid flashing beacons (pedestrian user actuated beacons) at roundabout crosswalk legs for accessibility, costing about $200,000, and additional sanitary sewer work of about $200,000 after system review. Wiesen said the overall project cost is roughly 2.7 percent higher than the adopted CIP and that MSA bonds and local funds are recommended to cover the increase.

Council members asked clarifying questions about the contaminated soils (the bulk located near Louisiana and Cedar Lake by a former gas station/dry cleaning site) and the federal funding that supports the project. Staff said about $9 million in federal funds are associated with the project, that more than $4.26 million had already been submitted for reimbursement for phase 1, and that city finance staff are monitoring federal reimbursements closely. Staff also said MnDOT notified the city that some federal funds would not cover planned tree plantings and certain off‑corridor bike facilities, creating an additional local funding need of about $124,000.

The council adopted the resolutions approving final phase 2 plans and specifications, authorized advertisement for bids, and rescinded three parking resolutions to implement parking restrictions on Louisiana Avenue as planned.

Next steps: staff will seek grant decisions in April, advertise Phase 2 for bids and return with bid results and any recommended budget amendments.