Discussion:
The 2022 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) includes the Huber Park Riverbank and Park Integration Project, PR-23-002 (see attached CIP project summary sheet). This project includes stabilizing sections of the Minnesota River bank, flood protection for the city's parallel sewer line, and integration into the park.
In 2021, the city applied for Community Project Funding for this project, now calling it the Cultural Corridor and Riverbank Stabilization Project, through the capital request procedures via Congressperson Craig, Senator Klobuchar, and Senator Smith. Other efforts have been underway for possible state bonding funding with the support and efforts by Senator Pratt and Congressperson Albright. The project was broken out into phases, Phase 1 focusing on the riverbank stabilization and sewer line flood protection with a federal earmark amount of $3,500,000. This project is now included in the FY22 Federal Appropriations Package.
With that said, city staff will need assistance from an engineering consultant to complete the preliminary evaluation study for the project that is needed to better define project scope, cost, and to identify and kickoff more formal partnerships with other jurisdictional entities (e.g. MPCA, Lower Minnesota River Watershed District, County, etc.). City staff has worked with Bolton & Menk to develop a scope of work needed to deliver the study. Bolton & Menk have the experience, technical skill, and capacity to provide the needed services and is an approved firm included in the city's consultant pool. The attached Professional Services Agreement authorizes and describes the scope and fees for their work on this study.