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Cook County Highway Engineer Robbie Haas and Lisa Sorlie presented the department’s 2022 annual highway report to the Cook County Board of Commissioners on April 28.
Haas talked about new employee additions, his staff’s excellent work, and all of the projects accomplished last year.
New hires included Nathan Carlson, who filled a vacant Maintenance Worker 2 position in January. Tia Parks was hired as the environmental specialist supervisor in May. Josh Dix transferred to a maintenance position, and Jesse Backstrom was promoted to maintenance supervisor. In May, Wes Higgins moved from his mechanic position to a maintenance worker-two positions. Matt Nesheim started as the maintenance supervisor in July, and Shawn Smith started as a mechanic.
2022 projects
A much-anticipated job was the reconstruction of Pike Lake Road (CR) 45. There is still some road reshaping left and the application of calcium chloride, but most of the work is finished.
A three-span timber bridge was installed at Cross River near Gunflint Lake. The Safe Routes to School multi-modal trail was expanded along the new Gunflint Trail entrance to County Road 7 near Great Expectations School. A precast concrete box culvert Carlson Creek bridge was installed, and crack sealing on 13.0871 miles of CSAH’s 12, 17 was completed.
Maintenance projects included re-evaluation and re-signing of speed limits on CSAH 12, flood repairs and culvert replacements on CSHA 16, ditch work at east CSHA 14, and contracted installation of speed feedback signs for ISD 166 and GES.
Routine maintenance work included smoothing the surface of gravel roads, minor road surface repairs; brush and weed control; snow and ice removal; cleaning culverts and ditches; fixing washouts, etc.
Design work for 2022 included three state aid projects, two municipal State Aid projects, one county road project, ten bridge projects, and two facilities projects.
Due to some reorganization, the highway department work crew finished more projects than in the past. Sorlie said this was only possible because some workers had stepped up and taken on more responsibilities than usual. Haas pointed out two workers who did just that, Scott Benolken and Jacob Backer. He asked commissioners to approve promoting Scott and Jacob to Engineering Technician ll positions, which the board agreed to.
“Scott and Jacob met all of the responsibilities laid out in the Tech 2 job description and then some. With the recent reorganization of the Highway Department and the duties assigned to each position, they have met these new challenges head-on. Each is proficient at engineering computations, preparing cost estimates, and sketches, maintaining and creating maps, and performing ROW research. Both are proficient at CAD and preparing project plans based on established specifications. Each has demonstrated project management skills by interpreting plans and specifications in ht field and directing the work of contractors and projects… Haas added that Scott and Jacob attend public meetings for future projects “that will be their responsibility and are the first point of contact for those projects.”
Haas thanked his whole crew for a good year.
2023
This summer, work will begin from Highway 61, 5th Avenue W. (the old entrance to the Gunflint Trail), just past the intersection of County Road 7 (5th Street).
The road will be resurfaced with sidewalks and parking on both sides of the Street, with new stormwater and sewer lines installed.
Construction is expected to run through the summer into the fall, with minor issues to sewer and water expected. Once construction begins, the road will be closed to traffic.
Funding for the work comes from various sources: $835,000 from the Road Improvement Program (LRIP) grant, $200,000 from a Coastal grant, and an annual allocation from state and local city funds.
The county has a cost-sharing agreement for the 5th Avenue West reconstruction project with the city of Grand Marais.
The timber frame Flute River Bridge on County Road 69 will be replaced with a prestressed concrete beam bridge. The road will be closed at the bridge during construction.
The federal Off-system Bridge Replacement (BROS) program and state bridge bonds provide funds to pay for the new bridge.
The Junco River metal culvert on County Road 27 will be replaced with a double-barrel concrete box culvert. Construction is expected to last one month.
Various grants, including one from the National Fish Passage Program, the DNR State Park Road Account, and COVID relief funds, will pay for the new bridge work on the Junco River.
Sawbill Creek Bridge’s metal culvert will be replaced with a double-barrel concrete box culvert. Work is expected to take about a month, with a bypass lane constructed for traffic when the work begins.
Funding will be provided through tax levy dollars and Transportation Sales Tax (TST) funds.
Finally, a heated storage facility and a salt/sand shed will be constructed at the Cook County Highway Department this summer. Funding comes from annual state allocations and undesignated fund balances.
The 2023 Highway Department budget is $14.1 million, but $8.9 million will be deferred because the Grand Portage Timber Frame Bridge and Alfred Creek Bridge and storage facility projects will be delayed until 2024.
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