The city of Luverne and the Luverne School District are teaming up on a joint project to improve streets around the school that have been torn up because of the school construction project.
The city project consists of mill off and overlay of both West Adams and North East Park Streets.
An alternate project would put a new sidewalk or trail connector from the bus barn area to the Luverne Loop to the West.
The new sidewalk will pick up where the current one ends at the bus garage driveway and continue west until it meets the paved path west of the bus garage.
Council member Caroline Thorson said the extra piece of sidewalk will be a welcome piece along a busy County Road 5/West Dodge Street.
“When you’re heading west on Dodge in the evening, that sun hits you right in the face, and if someone’s walking on the edge … it will be nice to have the sidewalk.”
Council member Dan Nath said the connection will create safer pedestrian access to soccer fields, softball diamonds and cross country trails on the west edge of the school campus.
“With all the activities out there, that sidewalk will be very well used,” Nath said.
The total cost of the city’s portion of the work is estimated at $213,500.
City and school leaders hope to save money by using the same engineer, bidding the project together, and using the same general contractor.
Both entities will pay separate contracts for their own work on their own properties.
Plans and specifications were approved last month, and bids were opened Tuesday morning.
Council members will take action on the low bid at their next meeting April 13.