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The city council reviewed the street improvement project with city engineer Pete Carlson last week and set a public hearing on the project for Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 6:30 p.m. at city hall. During the public hearing, residents will have an opportunity to learn about the plan and about the assessments for the project and will have an opportunity to ask questions.

According to the feasibility study, the Industrial Loop, Ampe Drive, Claire Avenue, and Minnie Street are in fair condition and can be overlayed instead of rebuilt. The portions of Belmont Street, Belmont Drive, Hudson Street, and Lake Avenue are in very poor condition and need total reconstruction.

•Belmont Street - from Wendell Street to Belmont Drive - will be widened to 36 feet, and sidewalks will be added to both sides from Mill Street to Minnesota Street. Sidewalks will be installed only on the east side of Belmont Street from Minnesota Street to Belmont Drive.

•Belmont Drive will be widened to 36 feet, and sidewalks will be constructed on the south side of the street, next to the parking lot for Paynesville Lutheran Church.

•Hudson Street will also be widened to 36 feet, and sidewalks will be constructed on the east side of the street from Wendell Street to Minnesota Street. No sidewalks will be built on Hudson Street from Minnesota Street to Hudson Drive.

•Railroad Street - from Washburne Avenue to Lake Avenue - will be widened to 48 feet and - from Pomeroy Avenue to Garfield Avenue - will be widened to 38 feet. Sidewalks will be built only on the south side of Railroad Street from Washburne Avenue to Lake Avenue.

•Lake Avenue - from James Street to Railroad Street - will be widened to 40 feet, and a sidewalk will be constructed on the east side of the street.

New curbs and gutters will be built on all the reconstructed streets.

Because of tree root damage to the old clay tile sanitary sewer system, engineers recommend that the sanitary sewer be replaced throughout the project areas except for on Belmont Drive. Engineers also recommended replacing the water main, which has lead joints and fragile pipes, on Belmont Street, on Lake Avenue, on Belmont Drive, on Hudson Street from Wendell Street to Mill Street, and on Hudson Street from Minnesota Street to Hudson Drive. And engineers recommend replacing fire hydrants in the improvement areas because the old ones do not meet current flow requirements.

Railroad Street, according Carlson, is prone to flooding. He recommends that the city builds a retention pond, possibly on railroad property north of the street, to help alleviate flooding,

On the other streets, Carlson proposed replacing the storm sewer main where needed, relocating catch basins, and upgrading undersized outlet pipes.

Streets earmarked for an overlay - the Industrial Loop, Minnie Street, Ampe Drive, and Claire Drive - will be raised in the center to provide better drainage.

Engineers estimate the total project could cost $1.417 million, with improvements on Belmont Street and Belmont Drive costing $365,200; Hudson Street, $228,400; Railroad Street, $205,600; Lake Avenue, $74,900; Industrial Loop and Minnie Street $121,900; and Ampe Drive and Claire Avenue $47,000. In addition, $93,700 is estimated for contingency; $187,400 for engineering; and $93,000 for legal and administrative fees.

If the city had to eliminate a street for improvement due to financial considerations - because of less state aid, for instance - it should be Hudson Street because the others are in dire condition, said Carlson.

Council member Dave Peschong pointed out that with interest rates for bonds at near-record lows it may cost much more to make those improvements later. Other council members agreed and approved going ahead with the plan.

Typically, the city would assess property owners to pay for street and storm sewer improvements, for sanitary sewer service, and for water service. Sidewalks are paid by the city's sidewalk fund, which comes from liquor store profits.

Carlson told the council, though, that assessment rates might not be fair for this project, since so many lots only touch the project on their side, where assessments typically are just 50 percent of the frontage footage. To be fair, Carlson suggested using an average assessment rate ($39.36 per foot of frontage) based on previous street projects.

Property owners on streets that are overlayed would be assessed $9.10 per foot of frontage. Proposed assessment rates for sanitary sewer service and water main would be $800 and $900 respectively.

Under Carlson's proposal, a property on Hudson Street with 55 feet of frontage would pay $2,164.80 for street and storm sewer improvements, $800 for sanitary sewer service, and $900 for water main service, a total of $3,864.80 in assessments. A property with 55 feet of frontage on the Industrial Loop would pay $500 in assessments.

The 2004 street project is the fourth phase of the city's 10-year street improvement plan. After that, two phases will remain - in 2006 and 2008 - including portions of Liberty Street, Minnesota Street, Cedar Street, Pine Street, Richmond Street, Burr Street, Augusta Avenue, Washburne Avenue, Koronis Avenue, and Koronis Court.