State announces Northeast Minnesota transportation projects including one in Cromwell

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The Minnesota Department of Transportation today announced the 223 state highway and bridge projects it will undertake this year. The projects have a combined cost of $1.4 billion.

MnDOT will undertake 33 projects in northeastern Minnesota for a total construction cost of nearly $108 million.

“This is the largest state transportation construction season in the history of the Minnesota Arrowhead Region,” MnDOT District 1 Engineer Mike Robinson said in a news release. “In total, this substantial investment will improve over 90 miles of state highways, upgrade or replace seven bridges and construct eight major safety improvements.”

Some the region’s projects are:

# Upgrading seven miles of pavement on Minnesota Highway 73 from Cromwell south at a cost of $1.1 million.

# Improving Interstate 35 in Duluth between Boundary and Mesaba Avenues at a cost of $5.3 million.

# Upgrading Minnesota Highway 23 in Duluth between Fond du Lac and Gary at a cost of $4.4 million.

# Improving the northbound side of U.S. Highway 53 in St. Louis County between Minnesota Highway 194 and Independence at a cost of $18 million.

# Finishing the extension of the U.S. Highway 53 Expressway north of Virginia at a cost of $5.7 million.

# Improving the driving surface on U.S. Highway 2 between Deer River and Cohasset at a cost of $12.5 million.

# Continuing the renovation of Minnesota Highway 61 in Cook County in the Tofte-Onion River area, including work on the Gitchi-Gami State Trail, at a cost of $12.2 million.

# Improving State Highway 65 between McGregor and just south of the Big Sandy River at a cost of $6.7 million.

# Strengthening the structural integrity of U.S. Highway 169 Expressway west of Chisholm at a cost of $7.7 million.

# Modernizing U.S. Highway 2 in the City of LaPrairie at a cost of $1.2 million

Of the 33 projects in northeastern Minnesota, 10 are funded with federal stimulus dollars, worth almost $40 million, and were announced by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel in February.

Tags: transportation