Residents question Riverside plans

Federal stimulus funds could cover 100 percent of the $2 million costs to reconstruct Riverside Drive around Ahrens Hill and move the project ahead.

But residents who attended the Crow Wing County Board meeting Tuesday said they'd like to see an option for a smaller road reconstruction project, citing concerns for the hill's stability, access to Gilbert Lake and previous assurances for a public meeting before the project moved forward.

The Ahrens Hill section, from North Ahrens Hill to Wise Road, is the last piece of Riverside Drive that hasn't been reconstructed. The road hugging the hill is an engineering challenge.

The county has $1.3 million in federal funds for the reconstruction project, which called for a $700,000 local match. The Ahrens Hill section was planned for 2011. One of the reasons the reconstruction project would be so expensive is the need for a reinforced earthen slope to keep the road in place.

Stimulus funding became available to fund the entire project if it could be moved up to 2010. Rob Hall, interim highway engineer, said because the design work is 90 percent complete with right-of-way acquired and environmental work done, it was a candidate for the stimulus dollars that focused on funding ready projects.

Those funds would not be available for a resurfacing project because the current road doesn't meet design standards.

Hall recommended contracting for professional services with Gale-Tec Engineering for $40,585 to review and make plan changes and be on site during construction. Additional work includes designing a stair system to allow property owners access to Gilbert Lake.

Hall said if the project was approved by mid-November, the stimulus money would be available.

Lyle MacIver, Ashmun Road resident, asked why repaving the road wasn't an alternative.

"I don't think people have properly and completely looked at the risks that this Ahrens Hill is going to collapse into Gilbert Lake," MacIver said. "If we spend the taxpayers' money to do this and it fails who is going to pay for it. And the third is illogical to me that if the money is there we've got to use it."

MacIver said it doesn't make sense to spend this amount of money on this short roadway.

Birchwood Lane resident Mary Claire Ryan said there is solid opposition to the proposed plan from residents and the Gilbert Lake Association.

A potential torrential rainstorm, like the one that struck the area this summer, means the hill could fail during construction, Ryan said.

Ryan quoted from the engineering report that suggested the best way to secure the hill may be in removing all the trees on the lakeside and filling in with rock.

Commissioner Paul Thiede said clearing out the trees and putting in rock didn't seem an equitable solution and the engineers were just trying to cover their "backsides" with that language.

Dan Meyer, Birchwood Lane, suggested a compromise in the road design. In the meantime, he said investments in Beaver Dam Road have it serving as a main artery for Brainerd. He questioned putting money into Riverside Drive for that purpose.

Commissioner Rachel Reabe Nystrom moved to table the subject until Tim Bray joins the staff later this month as the county highway engineer. Thiede called for a roll-call vote and the motion failed 3-2 with Nystrom and Chairwoman Rosemary Franzen in favor. Thiede and Commissioners Doug Houge and Phil Trusty were opposed.

Thiede said this was an opportunity to move forward with the project without being locked into a design and have money to put into other roads. Thiede said if he has his druthers there wouldn't be stimulus money or paving standards in unique areas.

Franzen said it was important to have the public meeting as promised. Trusty agreed, saying he still has questions. County Administrator Tim Houle said meetings were planned, but the stimulus money notification moved the project up.

Stimulus money for Riverside Drive means dollars will be available for other projects, Trusty said.

"I don't know if the stimulus money is the answer, but I've seen it work," Trusty said.

Nystrom said she didn't understand why the board couldn't wait for Bray as they had time with the November deadline.

The board voted 3-2 with Nystrom and Franzen opposed to award the contract to Gale-Tec Engineering.

RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.