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Wyoming City Council last week gave WSB and Associates the go-ahead to finish the engineering layout for the County Road 22-Old Hwy. 98 "turnback" project.

The state funds already dedicated to finalizing this project are expiring in 2011. This means, according to WSB engineer Don Sterna, that the project's got to be designed and ready for groundbreaking in 2009.

The project starts a little east of Goodview and goes west to the #61 T intersection. There will be improvements to the stormwater drainage network, mostly underground, west of #61.

The project as presented widens #22 to three lanes with a center lane for turn movements, it adds a trail, and improves the T intersection but does not include a lighted semaphore. Sterna said the state simply has no money for a light. "I know it's frustrating for the residents, it's frustrating for us," he shared.

Maria Lang, resident, commented that without a light the project does nothing to make pedestrians safer and said all the project will do is make #22 "smoother and wider" so the speeding will worsen.

Chief of Police Scott Dexter responded that one of the enforcement problems on this route now is three speeds zones in a short distance. The roadway goes from 55 out by Goodview to 45 then drops to 35 nearer the #61 stop sign. It'll be his goal, after the project is completed, to get consistent speed limits throughout this. He added that when East Viking Blvd. was improved and widened police squads stepped up their speeding enforcement to get the word out and Dexter said, "We are not going to allow this (new project) to become a speedway either."

Residents were concerned about the impact on their properties if they lose land for both the proposed trail and a sidewalk.

Council did vote to delete the sidewalk and just go with the paved eight foot trail. The vote on Tom LaBarre's motion was 4-1 with Council member Joe Zerwas opposed. Zerwas felt there was no need for either the trail or sidewalk at this time. "In 15 years if it's something people want, they can look at it then," Zerwas remarked.

The WSB engineer advised, though, that the way the turnback funds are packaged the city and county get a very expensive trail "at no cost to local taxpayers" and he advised against taking a pass on this funding stream.

A resident asked if the money couldn't go to a light instead.

Sterna said MnDOT has design standards in its turnback funding packages and this trail budget can not simply be shifted. There's a set of design standards that must be adhered to in order to use the turnback monies, he explained.

Council member Gary Menne reminded residents that this road used to be State Trunk Highway 98. Speed of traffic and vehicle counts have been and always will be an issue for anyone who bought houses along this stretch. The city, county and state are trying to make the road safer adding the trail for biking and walking; and by adding right turn lanes at Goodview, Glen Oaks and the Lutheran church.

Sterna explained that engineers on this design reduced right of way from the usual 100 foot width to 80 feet, so engineers were aware that loss of yard and keeping a space between homes and pavement are concerns.

Plans should be done by November. Right of way acquisition may take up to 18 months, he estimated.

The city still needs to decide if sewer and water is going to be part of the work. Depending on how bids come in, etc. Sterna guessed the city's share will be about $1.7 million. The whole project is estimated around $3.5 million, minus costs to acquire right of way.

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