New Prague council selects two‑lane option for 10th Avenue Southeast and OKs design work

The New Prague City Council voted unanimously to pursue a two‑lane reconfiguration for 10th Avenue Southeast and authorized professional design and bidding services to move the project into final design.

Councilmember Maggie Bass moved to select option three — a two‑lane configuration south of Third Street with curb bumpouts and shoulder space — citing pedestrian safety and alignment with resident requests; the motion passed on a 5‑0 voice vote. The council then approved fees of $73,600 for final design plus $6,300 for bidding services, for a total of $79,900.

Staff engineer Chris Kenutton, the city engineer, told the council the project had originally been presented with three alternatives: a mill‑and‑overlay option, landscaped medians, and a two‑lane conversion. "The primary purpose of the bumpouts is enhancing pedestrian crossing safety," Kenutton said, adding that the bumpouts shorten crossings from roughly 44 feet to about 32 feet and would be installed only where crosswalks are planned.

Resident Bradley Wagner testified during the public forum that many neighbors oppose high‑end landscaping or a roundabout and urged a simpler repave with flashing crosswalk beacons. "You're going to get slapped with a $2,000 assessment," Wagner said, warning that some homeowners cannot afford large assessments.

City staff clarified that the proposed assessment method is based on a mill‑and‑overlay rate used on recent city projects and would be the same across the presented options; landscaping or median vegetation would not be included in the assessed amount reflected in the packet. Staff also said that whether the mini‑roundabout at Third Street proceeds depends on LRIP (Local Road Improvement Program) grant success; a successful LRIP award would trigger a traffic study and could affect schedule and scope.

The council instructed staff to proceed with final design and bidding documents for option three. Staff said final design work is expected to run through March with bid documents and a plan to return to council for plan review and bid authorization, with an April meeting cited as a checkpoint pending funding results.

Next steps: staff will complete final design and prepare the project for public bidding; LRIP grant outcomes (anticipated in early April) will determine whether a traffic study for the roundabout is required and could adjust schedule or scope.