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Lakeville public works previews busy 2025 construction season and environmental projects
Summary
Public Works outlined 2025 work including 185th Street reconstruction, County Road 50 roundabout (county project), 170th Street pedestrian crossing with rapid-flashing beacons, Market Street Plaza repairs, sanitary lining of 2.7 miles, water-well rehab and lead service-line inventory outreach with 900 resident contacts remaining.
Public Works Director Paul Omi presented the department’s first-quarter 2025 report April 7, outlining a busy construction season and ongoing environmental and forestry work across Lakeville.
Omi said the 185th Street (180? — staff identified as “Hundred And 80 Fifth Street”) reconstruction from Kenwood Trail to Ipava Avenue will be urbanized with curb and gutter, two travel lanes, pedestrian trails on both sides and turn lanes; major water-main relocations were scheduled to begin April 15 and the project is expected to be open to traffic by August with full completion later in the season. The County Road 50 and Hamburg roundabout is a county-led project; Lakeville staff said the county project is designed and expected to be bid in late spring with construction as early as this summer.
Planned local improvements include a pedestrian crossing on 170th Street connecting the Greenway Trail and North Creek Greenway with rapid-flashing beacons, Market Street Plaza parking-lot reconstruction to address trip hazards and pervious paver issues, and pothole patching and street sweeping operations. Oak Shore Drive park lift-station construction is underway with utility connections planned and an early-June completion target.
Omi reported the city’s sanitary-lining program is about 50 percent complete, lining about 2.7 miles of clay pipe to reduce groundwater infiltration and sewer-backup risk. The city is rehabilitating Well No. 17 in Simeshad Park, removing the pump and motor for inspection. The city is still seeking information from residents on water-service line materials: staff said about 900 residents remain to be contacted and about 2,000 service-line materials are still unknown; staff expects to complete the inventory by the end of summer and begin replacements where lead and galvanized lines are found. The state of Minnesota indicated grant funds may be available to support service-line replacement.
Environmental Services updates included work funded by over $650,000 in grants for prairie restoration, invasive-species mitigation (including carp removal), lake and channel sediment removal and stormwater improvements. Staff reported prescribed burns at Ritter Park, creek stabilization and restoration at Summers Creek and outreach events with local schools and the AmeriCorps program. Forestry staff said Lakeville received a Tree City USA recognition for the 30th year and a growth award; a recent tree sale sold about 200 trees of 13 species and a volunteer planting at Chadwick Park on May 7 will add about 30 trees. The city plans to inject approximately 815 ash trees this summer to treat emerald ash borer infestations and anticipates removing and replacing trees under a DNR EAB grant (about 55 removals replaced with about 110 trees in parks).
Council members asked technical questions about removing nuisance fish from East Lake and were told state Department of Natural Resources rules require licensed anglers to return non-game fish to the water unless used for other purposes; staff said the city can pick up nuisance fish left on shore but property owners should not leave dead fish on shorelines.
Omi closed by listing public engagement opportunities including Arbor Day pickup and volunteer planting events, watershed cleanup, landscape courses and community outreach events.
