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River Heights moves to pursue $400,000 COG spot grant for 6 South improvements; city faces roughly $286,400 local share
Summary
City council held a public hearing and agreed to pursue Council of Governments (COG) spot-improvement funding for upgrades to 6 South between about 770 East and 1000 East; preliminary estimate puts total project cost near $686,400, leaving a local share of roughly $286,400 and multiple funding and coordination questions.
River Heights City Council opened a public hearing and agreed to proceed with an application for Council of Governments (COG) spot-improvement funding to upgrade 6 South from about 770 East to 1000 East, a stretch that serves River Heights Elementary School.
The project scope described to the council includes pulverizing and replacing the roadway asphalt across the full section, widening to a 32-foot pavement section with two 12-foot travel lanes and a 4-foot paved shoulder, curb and gutter on the south side, storm inlets tied to the existing system, and localized repairs in front of the school. Craig (city engineer with Forsgren) gave the cost estimate the council used: a total project estimate of about $686,400. Because the road currently qualifies only for COG spot-improvement funding, the maximum COG award would be $400,000, leaving River Heights with an estimated local share of roughly $286,400.
The council and staff told the public that COG staff indicated the project would be eligible only for the spot-improvement category because the roadway’s classification changed after adjacent development increased the right-of-way. That change made the project newly eligible for the long-range program, but the current classification limits the city to the $400,000 spot cap rather than the larger eligible amount identified in Forsgren’s estimate. City staff said the federal/state/regional funds the COG manages are typically let on a long-range schedule (the staff noted an illustrative year of 2027), although funds could be released sooner if projects are ready to proceed.
The council discussed coordination and contributions. The Tenth East intersection near the proposed work touches county jurisdiction; council members said the county would need to be consulted, and county approval could affect geometry at that intersection. Council members also reported a verbal commitment from the developer Visionary to participate in constructing a sidewalk between a dead-end street in the new subdivision and the school; staff said that commitment is not yet in writing. Several council members and residents stressed school-safety benefits and urged pursuit of the funding. Planning commission chair Noel Cooley said, “I do support you moving ahead with this,” and asked the city to consider starting work at the Tenth East intersection because of narrow turning radii.
Council members discussed options for River Heights’ share of costs, including phasing the work to limit the city’s immediate outlay, using capital funds or interfund loans, or bonding for a package of projects if necessary. Staff said it is common for jurisdictions to submit projects each funding cycle and that listing a project on the COG planning documents could help future applications should additional funding opportunities arise.
No formal council roll-call vote was recorded on the application during the meeting; staff said the intent is to pursue the spot-improvement application and to keep the project on the long-range plan for future opportunities. City staff indicated they will continue coordination with CMPO/COG and the county, refine the cost estimate, and develop a presentation for the COG mayors’ funding decision process.
