Rochester accepts feasibility report for 17½ Street NW reconstruction; public hearing set for Feb. 19

The Rochester City Council on Jan. 6 accepted a feasibility report for reconstructing 17½ Street NW from 19th Avenue to 21st Avenue and set a public hearing on the special assessment for Feb. 19, 2025.

Public Works said the street and its utilities (water and sanitary lines) are about 65 years old and have reached the end of typical service life. RPU’s repeated emergency repairs have produced multiple patches in the pavement; staff recommended full curb‑to‑curb reconstruction, replacement of utilities, and intersection bump‑outs near Sunset Terrace Elementary to shorten pedestrian crossings and reduce opportunities for motorists to drive around crossing guards.

Under the city’s assessment policy, property owners abutting the project will share a portion of the street reconstruction cost (the city typically covers about 75% of the street items); utilities fund the costs of their infrastructure. Public Works estimated per‑lot trip generation and said the neighborhood will be invited to an open house (Jan. 21) to review design and assessment details before the formal hearing.

Council member questions focused on coordination with RPU, how the street rose on RPU’s priority list (a heat‑map of breaks and utility age), possible ‘dig‑once’ coordination to avoid multiple digs, and whether the school district would be assessed (staff said the district has historically carried a significant share due to property valuation). Staff said assessments can be reduced if bid results are lower than estimates. The council voted to accept the feasibility report and set the Feb. 19 hearing.

Next steps include the Jan. 21 neighborhood open house, returning to council with project hearing materials and final assessment numbers, and continued coordination between Public Works, RPU and the school district.