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Council approves preliminary designs and grant matches for three 2026 sidewalk projects
Summary
Council approved preliminary designs for three sidewalk projects—73rd Street, 64th Street and Sheridan Hills Safe Routes to School—covering about two miles of sidewalks at an estimated $2.9–3.0M. Two projects require 20% city matches to Met Council grants; staff described tree impacts and construction timing.
Richfield’s City Council on Nov. 25 approved preliminary design layouts for three pedestrian improvement projects slated for 2026 construction.
Transportation staff described three priority corridors: 73rd Street (Portland to Cedar), 64th Street (Glendale to Portland) and a Sheridan Hills Safe Routes to School project near Sheridan Hills Elementary. Together they add roughly two miles of sidewalk and an estimated combined investment of about $2.9–3.0 million. The projects fill sidewalk gaps along collector roads, improve access to transit (including the D Line stop at 73rd and Portland), and add safer crossings near schools.
Staff noted grant support: the 73rd Street project received a $1,000,000 Met Council active‑transportation grant (20% city match required), 64th Street received an $853,000 Met Council grant (20% match) and Sheridan Hills received a $545,000 MnDOT safe‑routes grant (no match required). Staff said typical city responsibilities are accounted for in the 2026 capital improvement program and that current cost estimates include a 20% contingency and are slightly higher than the city match budget for two projects.
The projects will have tree impacts (roughly 20 trees on 73rd, 20 on 64th with several mature specimens, and about six on Sheridan Hills). Staff said the city will replant where trees are removed and will work through design details with the county for intersection safety treatments and with the railroad for crossing constraints.
Council approved each preliminary design by separate roll‑call votes and directed staff to move to final design and grant‑agreement steps.
