Following preliminary assessment hearings this winter or early spring, plans for the Highway 10 turnback project should be going out to bidders in time to allow construction to begin in the spring or early summer of 2010.

Questions from the public about this project were aired at the Jan. 6 open house for the turnback project. Colleen Donnelly asked for recycling bins rather than trash receptacles. She also urged her fellow property owners to request more trees downtown than now planned.

Tim Houle, engineer in charge of the project, noted that providing trees has become a balancing act, some wanting more, some wanting none. In the same tone, Peter Brenny, stated, “If I want a tree in front of my place, don’t I have that right. If I don’t want a tree there, don’t I also have that right?” Houle replied that from a corridor perspective, they cannot have a whole block without trees. They will move sites for trees around to suit property owners, but only now before final plans are set.

Bill Haugen asked if the boulevards are designed to pile snow. “Houle said again there is a balance. The boulevards are designed for green space in the residential area and for amenities in the commercial. In both cases, they will do double duty. “Snow storage is a function of that area,” Houle said.

Roger Houslelog asked about steps in front of businesses. Houle’s reply was that requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) dictate what can and cannot be done. Any change of existing steps to slopes or ramps have to meet grade requirements, and that requires considerable distance for the ramp. If that space is not available on a property, the situation cannot be rectified. “We also looked at ramps, ... railings, widths of ramps and other impacts. ... We have said before that steps will not be worse (than current). Thresholds will also not be worse, either.”

Jim Mohler asked about having grass boulevards the length of the corridor, including commercial areas.

‘The reason we don’t put grass boulevards in the commercial area,” Houle said, “is because of parking, customers walking across a grass area, it just doesn’t work. In residential areas, where there is less foot traffic, it would be grass.”

Gary Nytes also asked who will be responsible for keeping grass and trees alive in dry spells, etc. “The boulevards are basically the responsibility of the adjacent property owner,” Houle said, then adding if that property owner doesn’t want to do it, it likely will not get done. However trees will be chosen for their durability and hardiness for the northern areas.

Another question was has the contractor for the landscaping been selected. Houle responded that the project only selects the general contractor, who in turn

works with his selected or

preferred subcontractors. “We do not get to select the

sub contractors, the general contractor does that,” he said.

Betty Gold asked about removing trees already in the work area. Houle replied that the project will likely need to get a temporary easement to remove a tree near the work and will pay for the tree removal if it is necessary for the project.

Homeowner Becky Smith asked if the cement contractor (for instance) might do private work along the project. Houle’s response was that some contractors will do this work but that needs to be worked out between the property owner and each contractor.

Wayne Mensen asked about starting dates and where work would start. When depends on the weather, Houle said, but sometime between April 1 and May 15 is preferred. He said most contractors want to start on the deepest end of the project, which would be the Dairy Queen end. Plans are for the project to be split into two halves, one being east of Fourth Street and one being west of Fourth.

Bruce Drone asked about keeping existing awnings. Houle responded that only one awning has been mentioned from a historic standpoint for keeping it and that is the Staples Theater and it’s marquis. Houle said he had told the owner to send in his historical documentation to keep the marquis as is.

Houle, in response to another question, warned people there will be times that either sewer or water service will be interrupted for customers along the project route. People may be out of service for a few hours but there should be a warning and people will need to expect and anticipate those interruptions.