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Chisago County has three road projects that will be submitted for the federal economic stimulus funding. Everything is very tentative, as County Engineer Bill Malin reported during a transportation work session last week with the County Board. Final details on the funding amounts and rules for projects to qualify were pending.

The projects are "reclaim and pave" for County Road 9 from Hwy. 95 north into Harris and for County Road 20 from County Road 9 to Taylors Falls, plus the Keystone Avenue-Manning Trail realignment and reconstruction in the south end of the county.

Asst. County Engineer Joe Triplett said plans for Keystone-Manning have been submitted to MnDOT for approval and most steps needed to set a project in motion have been taken. (See graphic.)

This Manning-Keystone route is a corridor out of Washington County into Chisago County and has been on the county's long term Transportation Improvement Plan for years.

County Engineer Malin said if this should be deemed ineligible for federal stimulus funding, it will be put into the county's application for HPP (High Priority) funds as part of the next regular Congressional Transportation Appropriations Act.

Center City's #9

Another work session discussion February 11 was the County Road 9 rebuild through Center City. The project area is from Hwy. 8 to #36 (beyond the church heading east.)

The heavily-used road is on a steep lake bluff and is seriously deteriorating.

Triplett told Center City officials who attended the work session that this is a "...real complicated half-mile long project." An Historic District of 100-year-old residences fronts the roadway, there are tricky stormwater management issues, the DNR will be involved with shoreland impacts, and the state historical preservation office will also be involved.

Triplett welcomes citizen input on the road layout, and indeed county and city meetings have been held, but time is of the essence as the integrity of the roadway is at stake, he noted.

"We either do this pro-actively or re-actively, proactive is preferable, meaning residents can get to have a say" Triplett explained.

The county has budgeted money for contracted services for soil testing/boring beneath the road. Malin said it'd be most cost-effective to do this when the equipment can access the bluff from the frozen lake. Center City Mayor Jill Behnke said if Malin needs to get started on soils work he should go ahead. Center City Engineer Les Mateffy agreed. The city was also represented at the work session by Mary O'Reilly, planning commission member.

Malin will schedule soils testing as soon as possible.

Other road needs briefly addressed included proposed #87 improvements, on the west side of the freeway in Wyoming, in the Transportation Improvement Plan for 2010. Commissioner Ben Montzka advocated to move this up to this year if possible.

Montzka also stressed the need for safety remedies at the intersection of #22 and old Hwy. 61 in Wyoming.

County Road 22 is being reconstructed starting this summer using "turnback" monies through the state of Minnesota. A light is not now planned for the T-intersection where #22 and old 61 meet.

Triplett commented that as an engineer he understands the need for a light, but it is up to MnDOT to do the project, as it's a state highway. He said Chisago County carries a balance in its state aid account so it can participate in any cost-share projects (in this case one-third of the light would be the county's expense) but MnDOT has to initiate the light.

Commissioner George McMahon asked about cash on-hand and if any projects can be funded in the existing budget.

Malin informed commissioners the department has $400,000 budgeted in contracted services and of this $50,000 is "must do" items like bridge inspection so there's about $350,00 remaining and the state aid account has $3 million. The department maintained a carryover into 2009 of $1.3 million but this is relied on for cash flow and is not "surplus" the commissioners heard.

A matter involving take-home vehicles and possible tax penalties employees face, was discussed but no action decided. Five highway department staff members have vehicles they drive to and from work. The reason is they respond 24/7 to calls and having the vehicle available at home trims wasteful travel time.

This was a work session to informally review roadwork, highway department issues, and allow for affected city officials to sit in on the meeting. The next informal working meeting was set for March 11 at 10 a.m. Four county commissioners attended, Lora Walker was absent.

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