NB bridge, CR 17 interchange picked as priorities

By MaryHelen Swanson
Reconstruction of the I-35 bridge in North Branch and creation of an interchange at County Road 17 and I-35, between North Branch and Stacy, received priority status from the county commissioners last week.
The two projects will be presented to Congressman James Oberstar for federal funding under the high priority project (HPP) designation.
A recommendation to put the two projects on the list came from county engineer Mic Dahlberg.
Dahlberg had received a letter from Oberstarís office asking for the countyís priority list by Feb. 21.
Dahlberg told the Board of County Commissioners the I-35/CR17 interchange was included as an HPP because the project is needed to make the countyís transportation system work better.
He said the interchange was an important issue to the North Branch-Lent-Stacy area of the county as well as to the entire county.
Dahlberg said the CR17 project would include improvements to CR17 west to the county line and east to CR30 (Forest Boulevard).
He said potentially CR17 could be taken straight east to meet CR 14.
The CR17 project includes a park and ride area, also.
Dahlberg said the best thing to do is to have the two projects as one, from an engineerís perspective.
But, he said, North Branch residents wanted the I-35 bridge to be entirely separate, so there is a tentative agreement that it will be separate, he said.
Dahlberg suggested that the commissioners use Public Works money to buy a right of way for the park and ride area now.
His suggestion for repaying the money to the Public Works fund was to levy through the rail authority.
The county has the right to levy up to $1 million by that method.
The word ìlevyî was a concern for Commissioner Bob Gustafson.
He said it would be difficult for him to approve a levy at a time of potential cuts from the state. Gustafson said the North Branch bridge has to be on the top of the list.
Commissioner Lora Walker said putting the projects on a priority list was only declaring the countyís needs, not suggesting a levy.
Commissioner Mike Robinson said, ìWe need both projects done.î
Commissioner Ben Montzka wanted to add Hwy. 8 to the list as a third priority for federal funding.
Gustafson did not want Hwy. 8 as a priority. He said Hwy. 8, which received $12.47 million in HPP funds in recent years, should not be included in the list to Oberstar.
From the audience, Lent Township Supervisor Monica Abress said she too attended the meeting with Oberstar a couple of weeks ago and she did not believe he meant for Hwy. 8 to be included in this funding package either, because it already has HPP status.
ìWe are not saying Hwy. 8 projects are done,î Dahlberg said. ìItís a matter of project maturity at this time.î
The board agreed that the Hwy. 95 overpass bridge would receive the greatest support if money for only one project was made available.
Dahlberg said he believed the county would get support for both the projects.
The motion placing the North Branch bridge as No. 1 priority and the CR17 as No. 2 priority passed unanimously.

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