New Ulm City Engineer Joe Stadheim gives the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan to the New Ulm City Council. Behind him is a chart showing the per year mileage of roads reconstructed in New Ulm. On average, the city reconstructs 2.5 miles of failed roadway each year at an average cost of $3.8 million a year. In 2025, the city reconstructed 1.76 miles of road.

NEW ULM – On Tuesday, the New Ulm City Council received the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that called for roughly $4.28 million in infrastructure improvements over the next year, with an estimated $2.4 million bonding need.

Most of the 2026 CIP were roadway improvements and reconstructions. City Engineer Joe Stadheim opened the CIP report with a history on the city’s roadway reconstruction efforts since 2008.

New Ulm has roughly 80 miles of paved roadways. On average, the city reconstructs 2.5 miles of failed roadway each year at an average cost of $3.8 million a year.

Stadheim said in the last 15 years, the city has reduced the amount of failed roadway from 37 miles to 5.8 miles. In 2025, the city reconstructed 1.76 miles of roadway.

The 2026 CIP projects include 10 utility street and improvement projects and two surface reconstruction project.

First, is the improvements to State Street from 12th N. Street to 16th N. at an estimated to cost of $2.1 million. This improvement will include pedestrian crossing near the fairgrounds.

Oakwood Avenue from Hazelwood Ave to Hollywood Ave is a one block improvement that will include sanitary sewer extensions. The cost estimate is $737,998.

Concrete sidewalk and pedestrian improvements throughout the city are estimated at $106,260. Stadheim said these improvements will include recreation trail patching on N. Highland Avenue and pedestrian safety improvements on 5th N. adjacent to the Martin Luther College soccer field.

Five alley improvements will be completed in 2026, each costing $50,050.

Improvements to the Junior Pioneer Pioneer Park water main loop are currently on the projects list, costing $660,000, but Stadheim said this project was still being developed by New Ulm Public Utilities and could be pulled as a separate project.

The two surface reconstruction projects are Jonathon Drive from Summit Ave. to the south leg of McIntosh Drive at a cost of $251,640 and Cottonwood Street from Broadway to Bridge Street at $66,690.

Stadheim said roughly $2.3 million in constructed funding is needed for the projects. Combined with a 1% contingency cost, the city is looking at $2.4 million bonding need for the 2026 projects.

Councilor Larry Mack made the motion to adopt the 2026 CIP plan with a second from Councilor Eric Warmka.