By Emma Olson, District 4 public affairs coordinator

If you’ve heard about District 4’s Hwy 34 project, “trees” are probably the first things that come to mind. During the design phase of the project, tree removals along the corridor became a hot topic.

Hwy 34 is a well-traveled, beautiful roadway, lined with tall canopies and lady’s slippers. Several area residents  felt that the roadway’s “Scenic Byway” designation should have automatically excluded it from any vegetation management. But with challenging winter conditions and a fatal crash in November 2020, MnDOT had safety concerns. District 4 made plans to perform routine clear zone maintenance as part of the 2023 resurfacing project contract, along with a separate selective logging project to reduce shading on the road during the winter.

“In the areas where the trees are thick and tall, sunlight rarely touches the pavement, making de-icing very challenging. So when vehicles are traveling 50-60 miles per hour and hit a patch of ice, that’s a bad combination,” said Shiloh Wahl, the district engineer. “We’ve taken some tough criticism from the public on this one, but I’m very proud of our staff for finding a balance between public opinion, environment and safety.”

In winter 2023, the clear zone tree removals were completed, and currently the resurfacing project is underway. The road work includes 21 miles of full-depth reclamation, culvert and cattle pass work, bridge/box culvert replacement and turn lanes. Even after the clear zone tree removals, hundreds of lady’s slippers emerged in the spring along the highway.

Road construction started the project two months later than originally planned but, Wahl said, “the contractor was able to condense the schedule to start after July 4 without changing the completion date, which ended up being in the best interest of the businesses and resorts, who rely on the area’s summer tourism.”

Construction is expected to wrap up in October.

For the selective logging project, MnDOT is conducting a study with the University of Minnesota to gather additional data on sunlight and pavement temperature. Selective logging plans have been postponed until 2024/2025, after the results of the study are available to ensure MnDOT is only removing trees that are necessary to improve safety.

Wahl concluded, “After everything is done, I’m confident that Hwy 34 will remain beautiful while also being safer for travelers.”

Located about two hours east of Fargo and two and a half hours west of Duluth, Akeley is the home of the Paul Bunyan statue, and a key part of the tourist town, Hwy 34, has been under construction this summer. 

In July, crews began resurfacing a portion of Hwy 34 and reconstructing the corridor to increase safety and mobility in the city of Akeley. The work involved improving both the highway itself and the adjoining sidewalks, as well as drainage and aesthetics; it also included creating a safer intersection where Hwy 34 meets Hwy 64.

The improvements address a variety of issues, including aging infrastructure. “The work was required for both pedestrian safety, and safety of the motorists,” said Chad Eklund, MnDOT project manager. “We are narrowing the highway, adding boulevard spacing and wider sidewalks, which will change the environment for safer crossings and potentially lower speeds.”

The project is being completed in three stages. Each stage is scheduled to take approximately four to five weeks, with Stage 1 now complete. Public engagement has been an essential part of the process throughout the project.  

“We’ve been having weekly public meetings in Akeley to give the city and the public an opportunity to ask questions and address concerns throughout the project,” said Eklund. “We have also kept in close contact with local media, sharing drone footage of the construction. It has really helped folks stay up to date on what is happening now, and what is next.”

Curt Turgeon has started a new nine-month mobility role as office director in the Office of Materials and Road Research, effective Sept. 13.

Turgeon has worked for MnDOT for more than 35 years, including positions in Materials, Construction and Maintenance in Central Office and Metro District.

In addition to his work with the agency, he has served as roles as vice chair of the AASHTO Committee on Materials and Pavements and chair of the AASHTO Technical Subcommittee on Quality and Environment, and as a member of the FHWA Sustainable Pavements Technical Working Group and the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses Pavement Technical Committee.

By By Kim Roberson, acting chief business technology officer, MNIT DOT

As part of its commitment to customer service, Minnesota IT Services has announced that the DOT Service Desk will soon integrate with the MNIT Enterprise Service Desk. This change, effective Sept. 28, means that IT support will be available 24/7 for all MnDOT employees.

Prior to Sept. 28, users should continue to use the current methods for requesting help: connect using the IT Storefront or call 651-355-0200 (the current service desk). Users can also use the MNIT DOT Service Desk email address, itservicedesk.dot@state.mn.us.

Starting Sept. 28, the email address will be discontinued and replaced with online forms to automate routing and improve first-contact fulfillment time. Users should submit IT support requests online through the IT Storefront or, for urgent issues, call the Enterprise Service Desk at 651-297-1111

Learn more about what’s available and how to get IT help at MNIT Connect/MNIT Enterprise Service Desk.

By Madeline Kuncio, MnDOT Library

The latest issue of New Library Materials is available.  This month’s collection close-up book is “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World” by Henry Grabar.

New Library Materials is a compilation of resources added to the library collection during the previous month. Visit the library website and click New Library Materials to sign up. Questions and feedback are welcome at Ask a Librarian.

By Rich Kemp

Nichole Steele has been with MnDOT for three years. She started as a transportation generalist in the Maintenance Shop in Virginia and then Hibbing. She is now a transportation generalist senior in Virginia.

What are your day-to-day tasks?

Working with my team on whatever tasks are at hand. We have a lot of variety in the summer. Currently we’re doing maintenance projects around our area, but in the winter months it’s all about clearing snow.

What are the most challenging and rewarding parts of your job?

The most challenging part is knowing that I might not always make someone’s day a good day. The rewarding part is working together to get the job done with everyone going home at the end of the shift.

How has your job changed since you first started?

Faces have changed and COVID happened when I first started at MnDOT. At the beginning of COVID there were a lot of restrictions. Now with the restrictions lighter, we can do in-person stuff.

How is your different in the summer compared to winter?

In the summer, we do multiple maintenance jobs on our roads, shoulders, culverts and so on. In the winter, our main concern is snow plowing and cleanup.  We also work on maintenance whenever we have a break from the snow.

What are your interests or hobbies outside your work with MnDOT?

I love to trail ride. I spend a lot of time on my horse Beaux, or I like to go with my partner on our side-by-side.

Do you or a co-worker have an interesting job to share with readers? Send us your ideas, and we’ll contact you for more information.

Recent employee profiles:

• Dustin Carlson makes sure the pieces fit
• Donovan Miles leaves no stone unturned in aggregate testing
• Joel Wenz and Clay Ebeling produce compelling visual narratives
  

By Doug Mack

Two Minnesota projects received regional 2023 America’s Transportation Awards from the Mid-America Association of Transportation Officials at a ceremony on Aug. 16.

The two projects, selected from a total of 23 nominees from nine states, were the Tribal Employment Rights and On-the-Job Training Partnership and the Willmar Rail Connector and Industrial Access design-build project, also known as the Willmar Wye.

The training project, in Districts 1 and 2, received the award for best use of technology and innovation (small category). This pilot program, implemented across two $21 million road resurfacing projects on two reservations, involved providing construction-skills training for ten individuals from the reservations. The program sought to bring more tribal citizens into the road construction workforce, enabling tribal nations to lower their unemployment rate while training members for future employment. Learn more about the training program.

The $50 million Willmar Wye project established a direct rail connection between freight networks in Minnesota. In the process, it reduced the number of trains traveling into the residential areas of Willmar and allowed for easier freight transit through the area. It also reduced rail traffic congestion at rail/roadway crossings, enhanced safety, minimized delays and offered other improvements for both trains and local traffic. In addition to MnDOT, the project was a public-private partnership that brought together the City of Willmar (including the Economic Development Commission), Kandiyohi County, BNSF Railway, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and Kandiyohi County. The Willmar Wye won the award for quality of life/community development (medium category). Learn more about the Willmar Wye.

The America’s Transportation Awards program starts at the regional level, including the awards administered by MAASTO. The top three winners from the region will be announced soon and will move on to the national level of AASHTO.

By Doug Mack

Can you name the place pictured below? The photo is from a traffic camera and the satellite image is from the 511 website and app.

If you think you know the answer, email Newsline editor Doug Mack. The first three people to submit the correct answer will receive the fame and glory of having their names listed in the next issue of Newsline.

Results from the last Puzzler: Hwy 11 in Greenbush. The first three to get it right were Joel Sween (District 6),  (Materials and Road Research), Jacob Indihar (Office of Project Management and Technical Support) and Patrick Gilbertson (Office of Land Management). Congrats to them and thanks to everyone who played!

Special thanks to Brady Thorson, who suggested this location. If you know a place that would make a good Puzzler, please get in touch!