Information, Pictures from this Week, and MnDOT Weekly Update

Eyes on Main Street - August 2, 2013

Information, Pictures from this Week, and MnDOT Weekly Update

I think I better start this post with my name, Saundra Solum, in case anyone has any questions. You can email me at saundy@springgrove.coop. Uffda, there seems to be some rumors flying around about the main street project. I personally haven't heard all of them, but wanted to set some facts straight. If you hear of others, let me know so we can help disseminate the correct information. 

The amenity zone, the unfilled portion of the sidewalk seen in this photo, varies from 2-4 feet in the business district, will be the colored stamped concrete. The color swatch the past council used, was not matched to the existing swatch, so the color we chose came in much darker than originally planned. I personally did not see the color live, but I hear it was a dark brown. A new choice was selected by a few members of the council, more of a terracotta color, which should look fine. 

Remember there were two reasons to have the amenity color different from the regular concrete. The number one reason is safety! We have several sidewalks that cross driveways and the color is another alert to drivers, informing them that they are crossing a sidewalk. For example, at the entrance to the Fitness Center/Library at Spring Grove Communications, Kwik Trip, and Solie's Services. The second minor reason is to break up the look of solid concrete and is purely aesthetic.

The contractor bid included the colored stamped concrete, so it is not adding additional costs to the original bid. I did notice that the stamped concrete is on the council agenda for this coming week and will post information following the meeting. 

Here is photo of the lights that were chosen. The banners and flowers are just shown in this picture as an option, that decision will be up to the current council. The light poles should be a dark bronze - that was the color chosen, and all coordinating railing should also be bronze. We held up both black and bronze actual light pole pieces along main street and found the dark bronze had the best look with all the brick buildings and other building colors, so that color was chosen. The 18' lights are the pedestrian walking lights that will be used in the business district with the taller 25' lights throughout the rest of main street. We also planned to add the lights around the city park (Viking) and school, but that would need to be addressed by the current council. 

I recently saw a photo of main street sometime in the 1950s and the lights are very similar to the style chosen for this project. I believe the photo was in the 2013 Spring Grove Communications phone book, which shows many old photos of Spring Grove Main Street in the first few pages.  

The metal railing, also in bronze, is installed for safety, separating the sidewalk from a parking area. The only exception is the beginning of the business district on the west side of town that has one on the south side for uniformity. 

Here are some photos taken earlier this week, which are posted on the Spring Grove Communications Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/sgcommunications

MnDOT Weekly Update

This week in Spring Grove:

• Placing aggregate base from 1^st Ave. NW to Division St.
• Sanitary sewer, water main and storm sewer work between 1^st Ave. SW and 3^rd Ave. SW
• Pouring sidewalk from 1^st Ave. SW to 1^st Ave. NW
• Sidewalk is CLOSED between 2^nd Ave. NW and Division St.

 Next week in Spring Grove:

• Pour curb and gutter from 1^st Ave. NW to Division St.
• Pouring sidewalk from 1^st Ave. SW to Division St.
• Sanitary sewer, water main, and storm sewer work between 1^st Ave. SW and 3^rd Ave. SW

 Highway 44 from Spring Grove to Highway 52:

• Box culvert replacement will continue between Mabel and Highway 52