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NEW ULM -- The New Ulm City Council received an engineering report Tuesday for the 2027 reconstruction of Garden Street.
The project is proposed from 1st North Street at Harman Park north to New Ulm Medical Center at 5th North Street.
The city is programmed to receive about $3.7 million in federal and state-aid funds for construction in fiscal years 2027 and 2028.
City Engineer Joe Stadheim said the council hired SEH to design the project June 4, 2024. The city held an open house Feb. 26, 2025. The state granted a variance April 9 to allow reduced depth for diagonal parking.
MnDOT approved the intersection control evaluation for 5th North Street April 18.
The environmental review received a categorical exclusion March 26, 2026. Because federal funds are involved, the project required a review under the National Environmental Policy Act.
A categorical exclusion means the project is on an existing street in a built-up area and not expected to have a significant environmental impact. The project does not require a full Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement and can proceed toward bidding.
Plans are at 95 percent, meaning engineering drawings are almost complete but not final. The council voted to receive the report. Chris Knutson, project engineer with SEH, presented the proposed plan and said it is not final.
Knutson said near Harman Park, “we are proposing to match the existing condition on the south end” and “there is a proposal to widen the west side of the street slightly to accommodate diagonal parking.”
The proposed plan would narrow Garden Street by about 15 feet.
The proposed plan includes corner bump-outs and flashing crosswalk beacons.
Bump-outs are curbs that stick out into the intersection. They shorten the crossing and make pedestrians more visible by moving them past parked cars. The wider corners also cause drivers to slow down. Knutson said at 1st North and 2nd North Streets, the crossing distance would go from 60 feet to 32 feet.
The beacons are rectangular rapid flashing beacons, or RRFBs. They are flashing warning lights mounted on crosswalk signs to alert drivers that someone is crossing.
“They are flashing beacons,” Knutson said. “They are an enhancement to the crosswalk.”
The plan includes RRFBs at 1st North and 2nd North Streets near Harman Park. There would be an 8-foot sidewalk on the west side and a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side.
Between 2nd North and 5th North Streets, the proposed plan includes two 12-foot driving lanes and 10-foot parking lanes on both sides with 6-foot sidewalks on both sides. A bump-out is proposed at 3rd North Street.
At 5th North Street, the proposed plan includes a small concrete roundabout with splitter islands and colored concrete crosswalks set back 20 feet from the circle.
“A roundabout is proposed,” Knutson said. “This would be a smaller size roundabout that allows most vehicles to traverse through the roundabout. Larger vehicles would be required to drive over the islands.”
The rest of Garden Street would be blacktop.
Knutson said, “The design vehicle is a school bus, a 40-foot bus, which would be allowed to traverse the roundabout without having to mount any islands or curbs.”
Knutson said larger tractor-trailers would need to mount the islands but would still be able to pass.
Stadheim was asked about semi traffic for the hospital.
“The road will be fully traversable similar to at high school,” Stadheim said.
Council President Andrea Boettger asked about the timeline.
Knutson said, “This is probably about a four month construction process.”
Stadheim said the plan is to keep 5th North Street open and start after school is out.
The total estimated construction cost is $5.08 million, including $2.95 million for street improvements, $560,000 for storm sewer, $260,000 for sanitary sewer, $760,000 for water main and $550,000 to line the pond discharge pipe at 5th Street.
About $4.06 million qualifies for federal aid. The federal share could be $3.248 million.
The city share would be $812,000 plus about $1.02 million for water and sewer.
Knutson said the estimate is about $500,000 below the maximum grant. He said, “That does leave some contingency if bids come in at a different amount than estimated.”
Lighting would be replaced. Sanitary sewer would remain with services replaced to about five feet behind the new sidewalk. Both water mains would be replaced and upsized.
A public hearing on assessments is set for Sept. 1. Assessments have not been finalized.