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Council approves phased Broadway median refresh; staff to finalize plans and bid Phase 1
Summary
The council approved staff recommendations to proceed with a multi-year median refresh on Broadway (Nineteenth Street to Lake Street roundabout), including phased construction, revised plant palette, and added maintenance planning; staff will finalize construction plans and bid Phase 1 for 2025.
Forest Lake City Council voted to approve staff recommendations to move forward with a phased "median refresh" project on Broadway, spanning Nineteenth Street to the Lake Street roundabout.
Staff presented renderings and a proposed plant palette that emphasizes block plantings of three hardy species and selective tree replacements (including Black Hills spruce and Autumn Blaze maple). The presentation, which followed workshops beginning in September 2024 and input from the city—s beautification committee, described a middle-ground approach: retain the landscape intent while reducing maintenance by converting limited areas to concrete and standardizing plant selections.
City staff told council they intend to phase construction one intersection at a time over three to four years, beginning with the Nineteenth Street intersection in 2025. Staff accounted for construction and maintenance costs and recommended optional construction-administration checkpoints during installation to reduce nursery stock disputes and improve quality control. Staff also proposed breaking a large design package into phased bid packages and using limited construction administration services to inspect plant stock at the nursery and resolve potential contractor disputes more smoothly.
Council members voiced general support for the project as an entry corridor improvement. Council member Erickson said the medians are "our main entrance" to Forest Lake and supported moving forward; other council members commented on concrete color matching concerns, insurance claims for damaged fencing along Broadway, and seasonal staffing for maintenance. Staff acknowledged the original landscaping was about 15 years old and that a lack of long-term maintenance planning contributed to landscape decline; the approved approach adds maintenance commitments alongside the refreshed plantings.
The council approved the motion to accept staff recommendations and directed staff to finalize construction documents and advertise for bids for Phase 1 in 2025.
