Engineering and Public Works 2025 Annual Report

GRANTS AND EXTERNAL FUNDING

GRANTS THE CITY SECURED IN 2025

■ MnDOT Safe Road Zone ( $92,000 ) ■ SRTS Design Assistance ( No funds ) ■ SRTS Infrastructure ( $272,000 )

■ MnDNR Shade Tree—EAB Tree Removal ( $150,000 ) ■ DNR CPL—Native Vegetation Planting and Maintenance ( $100,000 ) ■ SS4A/MnDOT Match ( $400,000 ) ■ MPCA Stormwater Resilience ( $47,700 )

■ LCCMR ENRTF Riverbank Stabilization ( $1,400,000 ) ■ WBIF—Weather Station/Riverbank Stabilization ( $40,000/$189,797 )

Grant funding plays a vital role in helping the City of Shakopee deliver improvements and launch new initiatives for our community—all without increasing tax rates for residents. The Engineering and Public Works departments actively apply for grants from a wide variety of sources, including state and federal agencies, foundations, nonprofits, and legislative appropriations distributed through bonding and earmarks. While grant funds are sometimes thought of as “free money,” they come with contracts and guidelines that outline how the funds must be used. In many cases, the funder also requires the City to contribute matching funds or cover a portion of the total project cost, demonstrating the City’s long-term commitment to the project’s success. Currently, the City manages more than 35 active grants totaling nearly $24 million. While every department utilizes grant funding, the Engineering and Public Works departments manage a significant portion of the City’s active grants. Improvements to the Marystown Road corridor were partially funded by state and federal support through the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Metropolitan Council. The project is adding roundabouts and trails along Marystown Road and Adams Street to improve traffic flow and safety at key intersections. The City also received funding for road safety studies and design improvements in areas such as 10th Avenue, U.S. Highway 169, and the neighborhoods around local schools. A significant portion of the U.S. Highway 169 Pedestrian Bridge project—which reconnected parts of Shakopee divided by the highway—was funded by MnDOT. Beyond roadways, the Engineering Department plays a broader role in quality-of-life improvements, such as overseeing water quality initiatives and monitoring trees for invasive pests. A grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is currently funding the removal of

ash trees infested with emerald ash borer and the planting of replacements. The department also received a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to develop an updated stormwater model. Engineering regularly applies for grants through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources to support water and soil quality projects. This funding helped construct the public parking lot at 2nd Avenue and Lewis Street, which now features an underground filtration system to clean stormwater before it reaches the Minnesota River. Grants from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources helped fund a weather station and large brine tanks in 2025 that allow staff to monitor weather conditions and apply precise saltwater mixtures before snowstorms, reducing salt use overall and decreasing the City’s environmental impact. Shakopee boasts some of the region’s most beautiful parks and trails, thanks to the efforts of multiple City departments. The Engineering and Planning and Development departments are working together to transition park spaces from traditional turf to native prairie grasses. The City has received several grants from the Minnesota DNR to support these efforts in parks like Scenic Heights, Stagecoach, Ridge Creek, Prairie Bend, and Memorial. This shift has several advantages: it reduces soil erosion, supports habitats like those needed by the endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee, and lowers maintenance costs over time. The Memorial Park prairie conversion is part of a larger vision: the Cultural Corridor along the Minnesota River. This corridor will link parks and trails from Huber Park to Memorial Park and include educational and interactive features. Funded by a congressional allocation through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the project reflects the City’s commitment to preserving natural and cultural resources.

18 | Engineering/Public Works