Loretto wins $120,000 county grant for crosswalk safety; council asks staff to return ownership and design options

Loretto has been awarded a $120,000 Transportation Cost Participation Grant from Hennepin County to fund crosswalk safety improvements, City Engineer Nick Wyers told the City Council on March 17.

Wyers said the funds can be used to install Rapid Flashing Beacon (RFB) systems at the Railway Street and Elsen Street crossings. He reported the County is requiring the Railway Street RFB to be county-owned, county-maintained and hard-wired. The County is not supportive of RFB installations at the Lorenz Street and St. Peter Street crossings, Wyers said, and has indicated the Elsen Street installation would be expected to be city-owned and maintained and also hard-wired unless the County agrees otherwise.

Council members asked staff to clarify how city ownership would affect maintenance responsibilities and potential vulnerabilities, including damage from snow plows. Council also asked whether the County would consider allowing a solar-powered RFB at Elsen Street instead of a hard-wired unit, and whether striping could be permitted at the Lorenz and St. Peter crossings as an alternative to RFBs.

The council directed Wyers to prepare a scope of work for the project and present options and alternatives at the April 28 council meeting, including ownership/maintenance scenarios, hard-wired versus solar units, and striping alternatives. The discussion did not include a formal vote to accept the grant terms at this meeting.

Next steps: Engineer Wyers will return to the April 28 meeting with a scope and options to allow the council to decide what combination of improvements to pursue and what ownership/maintenance model to accept.