Lake Elmo orders 2026 street and utility improvements, authorizes design contract

The Lake Elmo City Council on Oct. 21 ordered the 2026 Street and Utility Improvements for the Lake Elmo Heights and Eagle Creek Point Estates neighborhoods and authorized a design and bidding-phase contract not to exceed $138,600.

City engineering staff said the feasibility study recommends full-depth reclamation of the roadways because the pavement has experienced full-depth failure and is not a candidate for mill-and-overlay. The plan calls for new concrete curb and gutter (B4-18 style), storm sewer repairs as needed and general preservation of existing street widths. Staff said the project area is outside the Metropolitan Urban Service Area (MUSA), so no sanitary sewer extensions are planned at this time.

During the public hearing, residents questioned whether the city plans to add sewer later and whether the higher upfront cost for concrete curb was justified. The engineer responded that concrete curbing is a city standard chosen for durability and to confine bituminous pavement edge deterioration; a separate cost-benefit analysis was not performed for this specific project.

Councilmember motioned and won approval of Resolution No. 2025-070 to order the improvement and move toward final plans and specifications. The council then authorized the city administrator to enter a contract with Bolton & Mink Inc. for final design and bidding services, not to exceed $138,600.

Next steps: staff will proceed with final design and return with plans and specifications for the project schedule and construction bidding.