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Residents urge City of St. Paul Park to review 3rd Street reconstruction over safety concerns
Summary
Two longtime residents presented photos and argued that last year’s 3rd Street reconstruction left the roadway too narrow for trucks, mail delivery and snow plows and may have construction defects in utility work; they urged the council to review plans and inspection records.
During the March 2, 2026 City of St. Paul Park council meeting, residents raised safety and construction concerns about last year’s 3rd Street reconstruction and asked the city to re-examine the project.
Frank Sershen, who identified himself as a Woodbury resident and a south-end shop owner, said he has photographed recurring problems on the rebuilt stretch and called the new alignment narrow and "an exposure for the city." He said narrowed lanes, extended boulevards and 10-foot sidewalks will cause conflicts with large trucks and mail trucks, complicate snow plowing and could cause long-term maintenance problems. "I believe it's gonna be a lawsuit at some point in time," Sershen said, and he offered the council photos and notes for staff review.
Richard Burt, who said he has lived in St. Paul Park since 1950, said the redesign is "a terrible design" and cited a safety example: a parked vehicle’s door ended up about 23 inches from the center line, forcing northbound traffic to cross the yellow line to pass. He also raised a separate concern about a recent water-line break on Dayton and 10th, saying pipe depth and inspection may have been inadequate and urging the city to ensure contract standards (he cited "4 inches of asphalt after compaction") were met.
The presiding official asked Sershen to submit his photos and specifics to city administrator Hugo so staff can review and disseminate the materials. No formal council action or vote on modifying the 3rd Street design was recorded at the meeting; residents were encouraged to make their concerns known to city staff and the council.
The concerns combine operational safety (lane width and conflicts with service vehicles), maintenance and construction-quality questions (asphalt thickness and water-line depth). The transcript records calls for staff follow-up via submitted documentation but does not record a staff report, a motion to halt work on the corridor or a formal inspection directive during this session.
