Open house set for County Road 86 project

The county highway departments from Scott and Rice counties will hold an open house from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, regarding the proposed County Road 86 project.

The open house will be at the Elko New Market Area Hall, 601 Main Street in Elko New Market.

County Road 86 forms the county line between Scott and Rice counties starting from Trunk Highway 19 on the west to the Dakota County line on the east. The area affected by the project would begin at the intersection with Highway 19 and end at Scott County Road 27/Rice County Road 3.

Construction of the highway is scheduled for 2009. This meeting will be a follow-up to similar public meetings held in August 2003 and September 2005. County staff from both counties will be present to share information about the proposed improvements to the public.

Improvements include:

• Shifting of the southern portion of County Road 23 to the west, and a roundabout at the new intersection of County Road 23 to the north, Highway 19 to the west and south and County Road 86 to the east.

• Shifting of the northern portion of Rice County Road 96 to the east, so it aligns with Scott County Road 85.

• Shifting of Scott County Road 27 to the west, so it aligns with Rice County Road 3.

Rice and Scott counties have joined forces to reconstruct this portion of highway due to substandard conditions of pavement, narrow shoulders and steep slopes, offset roads, lack of left and right turn lanes and increased traffic volumes.

Scott County is the lead agency and is providing design services for the project.

The open house will include layout and exhibits of the proposed improvements, this information will include anticipated impacts to properties within the project area.

Scott and Rice County staff will be available to explain the project, answer questions and receive comments.

Plans are to have the final design completed in the spring of 2008, acquire right of way in the beginning in the spring of 2008, begin construction in the spring of 2009, with completion of the project in the fall of 2009.

Anyone seeking information can contact Mitchell Rasmussen, Scott County Highway Engineer, at 952-496-8346 or mrasmussen@co. scott.mn.us, or Dennis Luebbe, Rice County Highway Engineer, at 507-332-6110 or dluebbe@co.rice.mn. us.