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New Prague orders 10th Avenue SE improvements, council to select final design in January
Summary
The City of New Prague voted to order the 2026 10th Avenue SE street improvement project, starting design work now and returning in January to choose between a three-lane restoration, landscaped median, or two-lane with curb bump-outs. Staff estimates costs of $1.2M–$1.48M and said assessments could affect a small number of non-city properties.
The City of New Prague on Tuesday voted to order the 2026 10th Avenue Southeast street improvement project and authorized preparation of plans and specifications, with council members agreeing to decide between design options at an early January meeting.
City staff presented three alternatives for the roughly one-mile corridor between County 29 (208th Street) and 1st Street Southeast: (1) a three-lane mill-and-overlay estimated at about $1,200,000; (2) a three-lane configuration with a partial landscaped median, roughly $1,482,000; and (3) a two-lane configuration plus parking and curb bump-outs, about $1,260,000. Staff said all three options include trail replacement on the west side and enhanced crosswalks with flashing beacons at 5th, 9th and 12th streets.
“The mini roundabout at 3rd Street and the full pavement replacement at that intersection are part of the north-end work,” said Chris (city staff), who presented the feasibility report and schedule. He told the council that bids would open around May 8, 2026, with award targeted for May 18 and construction expected to run June through September.
Public works staff urged caution about Option 2’s maintenance needs, saying medians require ongoing upkeep. “Medians are a massive undertaking for maintenance,” Matt (public works) told the council, noting recurring costs such as wood-chipping and vegetation upkeep. He said his professional preference was Option 3 because curb bump-outs and lane reconfiguration better slow traffic and improve pedestrian refuge without the maintenance burden of single-lane medians.
Staff explained funding would come from a combination of general levy, municipal state aid (the route is on the MSA system), user fees and assessments to benefiting properties under Minnesota Statute 429. The staff estimate included an assessment methodology: a residential mill-and-overlay assessment at $2,550 per unit and a commercial per-foot rate derived from the residential unit rate. Staff said assessments could total about $180,000, mostly attributable to city-owned parcels, with roughly $58,000 potentially assessed to non-city properties.
During public comment, resident Brad Wagner asked how the mini roundabout would affect his corner property and whether the city would relocate irrigation, electrical boxes or a fire hydrant; staff said most work would be within the public right-of-way and that private fixtures located in the right-of-way are the owner’s responsibility to repair if affected by construction.
The council unanimously approved the resolution to order the project and to advance design work (vote 5–0). Council members agreed staff should return at the first meeting in January with refined proposals for Options 2 and 3 so the council can select a preferred design prior to final plan production.
Next steps: staff will prepare plans and specifications and, if LRIP grant funding is awarded, will complete a required traffic study before letting the mini roundabout work.
