Public works committee hears design update on 2026 road reconstruction, schedules Nov. 5 public meeting

The Monona Public Works Committee heard a detailed design update on a multi-street 2026 road reconstruction program and scheduled a public information meeting for Nov. 5 at the community center.

Committee members were briefed by Greg Veruki of engineering firm MSA and by Nick Manky, senior project engineer for MSA, who described planned resurfacing, spot water-main and sanitary-sewer work, curb-and-gutter reconstruction alternates and a pilot treatment for longitudinal joints in asphalt pavements.

The update matters because affected property owners will receive special assessment notices tied to the project. City staff said assessments generally follow the city ordinance that sets a 60% resident/40% city cost split for first-time conversion to curb and gutter. Staff said assessments are billed on the tax roll and can be paid over multiple years; interest and repayment terms are outlined in the assessment letter and the preliminary assessment report that city staff will circulate to council and residents.

MSA representatives outlined the scope and a set of four bid alternates intended to let the city compare piecemeal spot repairs with full reconstruction of curb-and-gutter sections. “This is our bid list of how many items we are going to actually bid from the contractor to keep all the assessments and everything squared away road by road, so it's all fair,” Veruki said. MSA said one alternate is replacement of all curb where spot repairs would otherwise be costly.

Engineers recommended pilot use of a polymer product identified in the packet as DRAM (void-reducing asphalt material). “DRAM … stays pliable, so it'll auto seal as that surface starts to open up,” Nick Manky said. MSA described the product as a polymer-modified asphalt applied at the longitudinal joint between pavement lifts to reduce cracking and the need for repeated crack sealing. MSA said the product has been used in other states for decades, that it is relatively economical compared with long-term crack-sealing costs, and that it is proposed for all resurfacing segments if the alternate is accepted.

MSA set a bid date of Feb. 12, and staff said plans could be advertised in January. A preliminary assessment report is expected to be provided to the committee in December, with a final report in 2026 contingent on council action and final bids. Staff said the project still requires a DNR water permit and a Notice of Intent (NOI) before construction and that final specifications remain under review; MSA noted most specifications are already drafted and recommended continuing with the city’s existing spec set to control cost.

Committee members discussed specific construction and maintenance issues. Staff said the city will write to the private owner of a recently installed retaining wall near Wildwood to require repairs before construction, citing concern that excavation and vibration could destabilize a leaning private wall. Staff also described added storm inlets in the Arrowhead Park area to reduce localized ponding and said the storm sewer will be sized for routine events but not for a 100‑year flood without a separate, larger project.

MSA also described a practical approach to valve boxes and curb stops where right-of-way is narrow. Instead of extensive excavation behind yards and ripping out landscaping, the design will place curb-stop access nearer the curb with protective details so crews can adjust the stems during paving. MSA noted some in-road covers and adjustable boxes are costly and that crews will prefer standard, operator-friendly covers where possible.

Staff said letters inviting residents likely to receive assessments will be mailed after the committee meeting; roughly 10–14 property owners were expected to attend the Nov. 5 information session based on the team’s outreach plans. MSA and staff reiterated that the assessment calculations are done block-by-block and that mobilization and scope differences affect each block’s assessment. One spreadsheet example discussed assessment costs on a per-foot basis; staff said the per-foot figure will be revised once final prices and policy adjustments (for large corner lots, which receive a 50% credit) are confirmed.

The committee asked MSA to bring poster boards to the Nov. 5 public meeting to aid resident understanding. The committee also discussed public notification and the timeline between bid award, pre-construction meetings and contractor mobilization.

The committee did not take a policy vote on the project at the meeting; the item will proceed through council for final budget approval and award.