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Mankato council approves full reconstruction for Bellevue, Riverview and J Rowe Court; staff to replace aging utilities and replant trees
Summary
The Mankato City Council approved a staff-recommended full reconstruction of Bellevue Avenue, Riverview Street and J Rowe Court, including utility replacement and drainage work. Staff recommended removing mature arborvitae in the right-of-way and replanting lower-growing screening trees; assessments and a benefit appraisal will follow.
Mankato’s City Council voted to move forward with a full reconstruction project for Bellevue Avenue, Riverview Street and J Rowe Court after a staff presentation and public hearing.
City engineering staff said the three corridors have aging infrastructure — including mid-20th-century sanitary sewer and water main material — and recommended full reconstruction with modern utilities and storm drainage. “This particular neighborhood or section of the community, it’s got aging and deteriorating infrastructure,” staff member Bienfang told the council during his presentation.
The reconstruction plan would standardize Bellevue Avenue’s width to about 32 feet and replace curb and gutter and utilities on Riverview and J Rowe Court. J Rowe Court would be urbanized with a concrete curb and gutter to improve drainage at a location staff said currently sees isolated flooding.
Residents and staff discussed whether sidewalks should be added on Bellevue. Bienfang said constrained right‑of‑way on Bellevue would require permanent easements to add sidewalk and that a recent neighborhood survey showed “the majority of the residents on this corridor were in favor of no sidewalk.” Staff recommended not building sidewalks as part of the initial reconstruction but said the sidewalk master plan could be revisited later.
A major focus of council questions was a row of mature arborvitae planted in the J Rowe Court boulevard. Staff recommended removing the trees before construction and reestablishing a lower-growing screen afterward because the proposed roadway and associated root-zone work would encroach on the trees’ 10‑foot critical root zone. Bienfang described a minimized 22‑foot roadway alternative that could preserve the trees but warned it would leave about seven feet between the new curb and trunk line — “less than a 10” critical root zone — and carry a survival risk for the arborvitae.
Staff told the council the feasibility estimate is close to the city’s capital improvement budget for the project and includes a 10% contingency; construction is planned for 2026 with substantial completion in 2026 and final wear-course completion in 2027. Bienfang also explained the assessment process: after the council adopts the feasibility report, the city would commission a benefit appraisal and then prepare an assessment roll followed by an assessment hearing and possible adoption in fall 2027.
Council member Hatapin moved to approve the improvement hearing and packet as presented; council member Metzler seconded. The clerk conducted a roll call and the motion passed with recorded affirmative votes.
Next steps are adoption of the feasibility report, completion of the benefit appraisal and scheduling of the required assessment hearing and any levy or assessment action in 2027.
