As a part of the Carlton County Transportation Capital Improvement Plan, County Engineer JinYeene Neumann has recently proposed the idea of reducing portions of County State Aid Highway 61 from four lanes to two in order to add a recreational trail system along the roadway.
The county's capital improvement plan was created in 2020 as a multi-year guide to improving roadways and transportation facilities within Carlton County. Areas of CSAH 61 selected for improvement through the plan include portions running through the town of Esko leading into Scanlon and outskirts of Duluth.
In a May 17 email to Thomson Township officials, Neumann explained that the current pavement on the roadway is in need of repair and structures surrounding the area are failing. In light of this, highway traffic and community requests, the county decided the two-lane proposal and possible trail implementation were best courses of action.
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When speaking with the Pine Journal about the project, Neumann emphasized it is still in very early stages of planning, with public hearings tentatively scheduled for this fall and construction roughly set for 2024. She said the sudden discussion of plans was largely because she was seeking congressional funding for the project.
Neumann explained in her email to town officials that she intends to submit the highway plan to the office of U.S. Sen. Tina Smith to hopefully receive appropriations for the project and asked the township to draft a letter of support.
She told the Pine Journal that in addition to seeking funding from Smith's office, she is also looking into other alternative funding sources, explaining that the additional funds would allow for better trail amenities.
Neumann said the capital improvement plan provides for the highway lane reduction — meaning that the lane reduction will happen regardless of whether alternative funding sources are found.
The Thomson Town Board discussed Neumann's proposal at the meeting held Thursday, May 20, with the majority voicing support for the idea.
While project construction and engineering would be done mainly through the county, there would be some collaboration with Thomson Township, and the town would be responsible for trail maintenance.
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Thomson Township engineer Joe Jurewicz and board member Jason Paulson both explained that they first began advocating for the trail system three years ago after recognizing a community need.
According to Jurewicz, the township was originally going to bear the sole responsibility for funding the project, so he said he was grateful to Neumann for including it in the county's capital improvement plan.
He also explained that there was significant logic to be found in the project proposal.
In her email to the township, Neumann said that CSAH 61 sees an average of 2,400 cars per day.
In light of this information, Jurewicz said a lane reduction would make sense from an engineering standpoint.
He explained that the highway does not see significant traffic or large amounts of semi-trucks due to the proximity of Interstate 35. Therefore, he said he does not foresee any major traffic issues with the lane reduction, although it would be a big change to the township.
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“If we lose something, I think we gain something in equal value," Paulson said.
Board member Bill Gerard also voiced support for the idea, with Board Chair Terry Hill adding that he thinks it will greatly benefit the community.
“People are just screaming for more trails," Hill said.
Vice chair Ruth Janke was more hesitant to voice her support, stating that she felt there would be a lot of blowback from the community regarding the lane reduction and potential safety issues.
“I can see some complications to it, no doubt," she said.
There were also some safety concerns brought before the board by community member Ruth Reeves, who said she is in support of the trail system, but is worried about traffic, citing the fact that she sees a lot of reckless driving along that stretch of road on her drives from Esko to Cloquet.
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“We love the trail idea, but I also see all the potential for rear-end mishaps," she said.
However, Reeves' concerns were somewhat laid to rest when the board explained certain safety precautions that would be taken with the project.
Community member Russ Kurhajetz expressed excitement over the proposal, explaining that he and his family enjoy biking and he thinks a trail system would increase community safety.
“I see that being a good vision and a good direction," Kurhajetz said. “I think this makes a lot of sense.”
Ultimately, the Thomson Town Board voted unanimously to support the project, with board member Tony Compo absent.
They plan to engage the community further on the topic and hold more discussions as plans evolve.
