March 10, 2023 at 1:11 p.m.
Chisago City Council OK's Highway 8 design
Preliminary plans for Highway 8 OK'd
Chisago County Engineer Joe Triplett appeared before the council to seek their approval of the preliminary design of the proposed reconstruction of Highway 8 from Interstate 35 to Karmel Avenue in Chisago City.
“The action requested is a resolution of support,” said Triplett. “We have gotten our layout for the trunk highway portion. It is preliminary, not final. Just because we have some nice lines on a piece of paper that doesn’t mean its always how it ends up.”
City Administrator John Pechman had reported that city staff and council members had attended several of the informational meetings conducted by the county on the project. “The project has received preliminary review and comment from MNDOT and the Federal Highway Administration as well as our city engineer, staff and the public,” stated Pechman.
“As far as an update goes, we’re still working through the environmental evaluation,” Triplett said. A couple of bills have been introduced in the legislature, and there is a rural grant coming as well. The grant will be announced in June, and the end of the legislative session will give us an idea on (state) bond funds. “All told, 60 to 70 million dollars in funding is waiting for decisions,” he said.
Councilman Jeremy Dresel asked, “When was your proposed construction time?”
“2025,” replied Triplett, “but I don’t see that happening at this point.” He went on to say the county is focusing on getting other resurfacing projects done in the next couple years, so they are ready to focus on Highway 8 when it begins.
The council voted its approval of the Highway 8 Preliminary layout without further discussion.
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