By Craig Wilkins

Fade to brown? Eight acres of grass at the Dresbach Travel Information Center have done just that this summer.

It wasn’t the drought. The expanse of turf was sprayed with an herbicide in order to replant the area with native prairie plants.

In about three years, though, those barren-looking acres will produce a bright palette of colors from native grasses and flowers.

The native plants will include milkweed, asters, sunflowers, bergamot and grasses such as side oats gramma and big blue stem.

The stand of native plants may become an attraction in itself at the popular rest area, said Bob Slater, District 6’s forester and wetland coordinator. Pedestrian trails will provide easy access to the plantings.

The Dresbach TIC serves travelers on Interstate 90 and lies about 25 miles southeast of Winona near the city of La Crescent. The TIC anchors the Minnesota side of the Mississippi River where the I-90 bridge connects Minnesota and Wisconsin.  

Slater said the area planted with native plants will increase the region’s biodiversity and substantially reduce maintenance costs. For example, he said, the native plants will eliminate the need for mowing.

Slater said once the prairie plants mature, cost savings will pay off the investment for the site within the next two or three years.

In addition to cutting costs, Dave Redig, maintenance superintendent at Rochester, said that the native plants will provide TIC visitors an opportunity to learn more about the state’s natural environment.

By Craig Wilkins

With an assist from Mn/DOT, the transit system that serves Chisago and Isanti counties revamped its operations to improve service and increase options for system users.

The Office of Transit’s operational review that urged service design changes and Cambridge’s purchase of a bus for local transit, provided the momentum to improve the system’s operation.

Jackie Forner, director of the Chisago-Isanti Heartland Express, said there were other considerations involved as well, including recognition by elected officials and other community leaders that changes were needed to improve transit service.

The transit system now operates 11 buses and uses scheduled flexible routes and designated bus stops and transfer points. Dial-a-ride service, the previous standard, is still available in the less-populated areas of both counties. 

The revamped service started in June.

Sue Siemers, District 3 transit manager, said the changes reflect expanding development and increasing transit demand in the region.

The area includes two hospitals, several large retail centers and restaurants and other businesses that employ lower-paid workers who are more likely to use transit facilities.

There are also increasing numbers of commuters who drive to a transfer point and complete their trips by bus.

Siemers said, for example, a Braham resident who wants to reach the new hospital in Wyoming can take the north-south bus to Cambridge, and then transfer to the east-west route to reach Wyoming. That allows the north-south bus to make more runs and serve additional riders.

Service such as this was not feasible with the old system, Siemers said, because of the length of the route and the amount of time drivers spent “dead-heading,” that is, returning from a destination without passengers.

Sarah Lenz, a program administrator with the Office of Transit, said many people liked the “high-touch, door-to-door service,” but agreed the service needed to improve its performance.  

The change in service brings excitement for Forner and other Heartland Express staff members who are anxious to improve service and mobility in the region.

“We expect continual improvements in productivity and reduced trip times for riders,” Forner said. “And it’s really great to have a printed schedule to hand out when we’re promoting the new service.”

By Craig Wilkins

Breaking with its tradition of meeting yearly in Chicago, the Mississippi Valley Conference, in association with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, held its first conference in Minneapolis on July 9-11.

Mn/DOT and AASHTO served as conference hosts.

More than 400 people registered to attend.  

Transportation officials and other representatives from the 10 member states participated in meetings, site visits and other activities focused on the region’s transportation issues and needs.

Besides Minnesota, member states include Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Lt. Gov./Commissioner Carol Molnau now serves as conference president.

Molnau, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters and U.S. Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota, chair of the House Transportation Committee, delivered keynote speeches at the meeting.

For more information about the conference, visit its Web site at: www.dot.state.mn.us/mississippivalley07.

A more complete report from the conference will appear in the July 25 edition of Mn/DOT Newsline.

By Craig Wilkins

Gary Dirlam was appointed as the area maintenance engineer at Baxter. He succeeds Gary Niemi who retired.

Before accepting his new position, Dirlam served as the district’s traffic engineer.

His other assignments include serving as intelligent transportation systems engineer. In that capacity, Dirlam led two projects integrating traffic cameras and changeable message signs with transportation operations communication centers in St. Cloud and Baxter.

His appointment began July 11.

Dirlam has served as the district design engineer and facilitated development of District 3’s first Area Transportation Improvement Plan. His experience also includes working in the Central Office where he was part of the initial group that designed Artemis, Mn/DOT’s first project management scheduling system. 

Dirlam joined Mn/DOT in 1974.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota. A Redwood Falls native, Dirlam now lives in the Baxter area.

During his career, Dirlam earned several awards including recognition for his work with the Toward Zero Deaths initiative in the district. He received the TZD Star Award for supporting cable median barriers, centerline rumble strips and other highway safety measures.

Dirlam said he will bring his background in traffic, safety and intelligent transportation systems to his new position.

“As maintenance engineer, I plan to support continued use of those safety measures, especially during the winter months and peak travel times,” he said.