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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 3 <br />Ms. Lundquist agreed with that figure and stated the project's total cost will be somewhere <br />around 1.2 to 1.5 million. <br />Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen commented that that estimate does not <br />include the City's utility improvements. <br />Mr. Johnson stated that the cost estimate needs to be updated as it does not reflect current bid <br />prices, and there is a chance it could increase unless the bidding climate changes. <br />Councilmember Holden asked if the County ever turns a bid down if it is not reasonable. <br />Ms. Lundquist indicated that yes, the County has turned down a bid in the past and then rebid <br />later in the year. <br />A discussion ensued regarding the breakdown of the associated costs for this project. <br />A discussion ensued regarding the watermain and associated connections in this area. <br />Mr. Johnson stated the costs could also increase based on how traffic is managed during <br />construction. He said there are three options: close the intersection completely so that no traffic is <br />going through the intersection, which is not practical; build the project under full traffic, which is <br />difficult due to the small footprint; or divert traffic. He said traffic can be diverted by closing <br />lanes or even constructing a bypass, which would be very impactful to this area. <br />Mayor Grant stated that options for diverting traffic would be additional costs above the estimate <br />provided earlier. <br />Mr. Johnson agreed and stated that for example, a bypass could cost an additional $100,000 <br />versus just dealing with closures. <br />Councilmember Holden asked how long the project will take if the intersection is closed the <br />entire time to all traffic besides local traffic. <br />Mr. Johnson estimated that if most traffic is diverted, it could take 12 weeks (3 months), best <br />case scenario. <br />Ms. Lundquist said that if a bypass is constructed, that would add an additional 2 months, for a <br />total of 5 months to complete the project and would add an additional $100,000 more in costs. <br />Councilmember Radziej stated he liked the idea of a bypass to keep the traffic moving. <br />A discussion ensued regarding the various options for handling traffic as presented in the City <br />Council's packet. <br />City Administrator Perrault questioned the additional projects that Ramsey County has <br />scheduled for next year that could impact this project, such as the work on Snelling Avenue from <br />County Road E to Highway 96. <br />