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Ref. “Boreal Community Media” (Dated Tuesday, 14 February 2017)
“County Board Gives Green Light to Pave Pike Lake Road”
After many dusty and muddy years, the only thing that was accomplished regarding County Road 45, Pike Lake Road, was the 1.5 percent increase in the county sales tax and the money used on County Road 17 in Grand Portage. Gee, I wonder what happened and why?
The engineering company involved is “great at engineering” and are convinced we need a 14-mile super-highway supporting speeds of 55 miles per hour (mph). They propose throwing millions of dollars around like monopoly money to address “line of sight danger” areas such as Realign Babeneau Corner, Realign Cascade Bridge and Curve, while also digging up the log constructed, Corduroy Road in the swamp area. To the best of my knowledge, no one has been killed in any of the aforementioned areas.
Now, here is a “novel” idea: Firstly, leave those three places as is. Maybe one could tar and chip over the gravel area of Corduroy Road in the swamp to be economical. Secondly, use the millions saved to upgrade Highway 45 to pavement as much as possible at $1 million per mile as stated by LHB.
This “line of sight danger” and curve danger exists all over Northern Minnesota (i.e., take a ride on State Highway 1 and experience these types of curves for 50 miles). Maybe the Cook County Board should have hired a paving (asphalt) company and not an engineering company for $557,000 to pave/asphalt a road that already exists instead of redesigning it- there is no need to reinvent the wheel when a functional one already exists. Please call your commissioner and ask questions regarding the paving of Pike Lake Road/ Highway 45.
Ray Nagy,
Pike Lake
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