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Engineers involved in planning for an easterly extension of County Road 17 were on-hand last week for a public open house. Many visitors came to Lent Township hall, where the open house took place, to ask questions and see information firsthand.

The extension is wholly in Lent Township. The project proposes to bring County #17 east, from where it now ends at County Highway 30, to intersect with County Road 14.

People had questions about right-of-way and impacts of the project. County Engineer Bill Malin, Assistant County Engineer Joe Triplet and a project manager with consultants SEH Engineering were on-hand to walk visitors through maps of the project and explain the plan.

There are detailed Environmental Assessment Worksheets and related reports available to view at the North Branch Library, the Lent Township Hall and the county highway department. The review and comment process continues to March 25. Anyone who wants to submit relevant information for planners and engineers to consider is encouraged to write to Bret Johnson, SEH Project Manager, 3535 Vadnais Center Drive, St. Paul, MN 55110.

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