Projects



Civil Engineering Services
Civil Engineering is a core service of the Polaris Group. Our staff have significant experience in design, construction, and project management, including earthwork, sewer and water design, and land development services. Our clients include Municipalities, other governmental bodies, and private companies or indiviuals.

Please see the following project examples for more details on previous Polaris Group Projects.

Site Design and Implementation
Tamarack Hills


Project Tasks

  • Permitting (City, wetland, stormwater, etc.)
  • Tree inventory and protection plan
  • Mass grading and detail grading plans
  • Pavement plan
  • Utility plans
  • Erosion control plan and Storm Water Pollution Prevent Plan (SWPPP)
  • Construction drawings and specifications

Project Description

Polaris Group provided a full range of engineering services for a commercial development in Woodbury. We were able to maximize the development area while meeting stringent Watershed District and City requirements for stormwater management and stormwater quality. Pervious pavements and rainwater gardens were used to meet infiltration and water quality requirements. Grading and landscaping screened adjacent home owners from the commercial area, preserving the trees neighboring their property.

The utility plans included rerouting an existing sanitary sewer force main, providing connection to existing adjacent water mains, routing mains, placing hydrants to meet fire requirements, and routing sanitary sewer while meeting minimum grade requirements. Construction drawings and specifications were completed including the mass grading plan, utility layout and design, erosion control plan and the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan.

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Dam Safety Analysis and Permitting
Mississippi River Dam Modifications


Project Tasks

  • Design modifications to an earth dam along the Mississippi River
  • Perform stability analysis
  • Design surface water and drainage systems
  • FERC permitting
  • Prepare plan and specification preparation
  • Assist with construction observation and testing

Project Description

The Lower St. Anthony Falls hydropower plant along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis was undermined in the 1980's. Emergency measures were implemented to construct an earth dam across the river to restore upstream river levels and barge traffic.

Polaris Group designed dam modifications to allow the site to blend into the surrounding river and planned park development. These measures included grading and fill placement on the downstream side, seepage collection systems, and surface water control. The grading operations were performed using dredge material to minimize construction costs.

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Storm Tunnel Design
Minneapolis, MN


Project Tasks

  • Design of storm sewer tunnel
  • Review solutions to mitigate flooding
  • Conducted tree survey
  • Design utilities in disturbed areas
  • Design street repairs
  • Size and locate stormwater treatment units
  • Prepare plans and technical specifications
  • Design measures to seperate combined storm/sanitary sewers (CSO's)

Project Description

A residential area east of Lake Harriet in Minneapolis was subject to periodic flooding. A hydrologic investigation indicated that the existing outlet for this area was undersized and that up to 20 homes could be flooded during the 100-year storm. A nearby residential area was also susceptible to flooding and had a combined storm/sanitary sewer system. Improvements to mitigate flooding were difficult because the areas flooded were located in a naturally landlocked area and a storm sewer outlet for the area had be over 40 feet deep. Established homes and numerous utilities along the proposed outlet further complicated the design.

Polaris Group conducted a hydrologic investigation and evaluated the hydraulic capacity of the existing outlet. This study identified several alternatives to mitigate flooding. Preliminary designs of several alternatives and their estimated cost were completed. The chosen alternative was a 60-inch storm sewer tunnel that discharged to Lake Harriet. The project also provided a storm drainage system that allowed stormwater runoff to be seperated from the sanitary sewer. Construction drawings were prepared for over one-half mile of storm sewer trunk.

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