Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Relief is just a signal light away for many in the city of Forest Lake.

For residents living near the TH-97-Fenway Ave. intersection and travelers who drive TH-97 on a regular basis, the lights canít come soon enough.

ìPeople are so anxious,î said Forest Lake Councilwoman Judy Bull Monday night as council OKíd plans for the signal lights and authorized advertising for bids. The plans are still subject to a final review by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

In 2004, the city ordered preparation of plans and specifications for the intersection improvement. The intersection is near Forest Lake Airport and the project will benefit both Fenway and Everton Ave.

City Engineer Phil Gravel said the project should be ready for bids this month with a contract award in late June. A July construction start should mean a late fall completion, Gravel said.

The city is estimating total project costs of $874,500.

The city will use $484,000 reserved from escrows or cash from existing developments plus $390,500 from state aid transportation dollars to pay for the improvements. Funds from future developments will eventually replace the state aid funding for the project.

What is included

Here is a brief outline of what the project will include.

ïTurn lane improvements at Everton Ave.

ïConnecting Everton Ave. to TH-97.

ïTurn lane improvements at Fenway Ave.

ïA traffic signal with permanent poles at Fenway Ave.

Following the decision late last year to proceed with the project, the city applied for MnDOT cooperative agreement funding, but did not receive any help from MnDOT for the safety improvements.

2nd TH-97 item

Council Monday, at its regular meeting, also approved a Gravel recommendation to approve a resolution requesting the Metropolitan Council reclassify TH-97 from a minor arterial to a principal arterial road.

Gravel said the reclassification is an attempt by the city to increase local opportunities for funding improvements to the roadway.

The designation targets TH-97 the Columbus Township border to CR-34 east of Century Junior High School. At one point last month, the change in classification would have carried east to the TH-97 junction with TH-95 in Scandia.

But at the urging of council, the segment for the resolution was reduced to road lanes within the city of Forest Lake.

Broadway update

Area businesses and residents who plan to attend a Chamber of Commerce update on the Broadway bridge project May 18 will have some new information to mull.

Acting on the recommendation of City Administrator Chip Robinson Monday, council updated its list of options that are being reviewed by the city and Washington County for the CR-2 (Broadway) bridge project.

Robinson said the new option is the possibility of using a roundabout road design at SW 12th St. and W. Broadway Ave., one block east of I-35.

The roundabout idea is a new theme being looked at for this intersection and is also being considered for future designs of south US-61 and TH-97 in Forest Lake.

Robinson said the roundabout idea was recommended at this late date following a special meeting with county and MnDOT engineers on Monday.

Council approval was required in order for county officials to do plan updates for future public meetings.

The next city-county Broadway public meeting is slated June 15. Next Wednesdayís Chamber meeting will have the topic as its monthly feature.

The plan update will cost the city $6000, Robinson said.

Bull said she was surprised by the possibility of using a roundabout for 12th St. and Broadway. ìAre we going to be the roundabout capitol of the world?î Bull asked.

Earlier this spring, Mayor Terry Smith and Councilwoman Susan Young, along with county engineers, were guests of MnDOT for an inspection of roundabouts now in use in Madison, WI

Top of Page

Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605