Grand Marais City Hall was crowded on Thursday, Aug. 8, as an outpouring of people came to listen to MnDOT representatives explain the 2020-2021 Highway 61 road work that will take place through town.
Central to most people’s thoughts was the issue of the town’s large elm trees that are slated to be cut down this fall to make room for the construction project.
Most people in attendance had only recently learned of MnDOT’s decision to fell the trees that greet motorists as they enter the heart of Grand Marais from the west.
As of now, nine of 11 elms that grace both sides of the highway between First Avenue West and Third Avenue West will be cleared, four of them because of an MPCA project that will be done to remove contaminated soils from an area between the Cobblestone building and Harbor Inn.
The MPCA project will take place in 2021, cost over $1 million, and be paid by MPCA.
The first hour of the two-hour meeting was supposed to be a time for people to look at maps of the upcoming work, with the second hour devoted to a presentation by MnDOT representatives and a time for questions.
However, as people settled in, they began to ask questions about the trees, and whether or not there is time to save the trees from the chainsaw.
A MnDOT arborist study conducted said that most of the trees were in “fair to poor” condition, with only three worth saving, and that was only if they wouldn’t impede the project.
Michael Kalnbach, MnDOT Highway 61 project manager, said MnDOT used that information to determine that nine of the trees should be removed. Furthermore, he said the contract had been let, with KJM Contractors of Angora, Minnesota the low bidders to do the work.
That prompted an outpouring of comments from locals who asked why MnDOT hadn’t considered a report they submitted to the mayor from an arborist who concluded that most of the trees were in fair to good condition, with some listed in very good condition. The arborist who conducted the study asked that his name not be used, and he suggested there were probably several retired DNR foresters in the area who could serve as consultants, “if you wanted to get an official evaluation.”
Why the information from the highly credentialed arborist who wished to remain anonymous didn’t spur the city to hire an independent consultant to study the trees is not known at this time.
As for Kalnbach, he said he wasn’t aware of any such report. Furthermore, he asked where all of the people in the room had been during the meetings MnDOT had conducted about this upcoming project.
Jim Raml and several people responded by saying they were at those meetings, especially the Feb. 27, 2018 meeting where MnDOT first talked about taking down the “dying” trees. Jim said he left his email address with an official and asked to be notified about any decisions about the trees. He received nothing back from MnDOT, he said.
Raml asked Kalbach if an independent study could be made in light of the two arborists who had looked at the trees and had come to very different opinions about the health of the trees.
Kalnbach said because the author of the report wanted to remain anonymous, MnDOT was unlikely to consider its integrity, adding that he would still like to see it. He also said because MnDOT engineers had put many hours of time and effort into the design of the project and because at this point the contract for the tree cutting had been let, it would be both costly and difficult to halt the planned work.
As far as the town losing the trees, Kalnbach said new trees would be planted when the old elms were removed.
It was clear that Kalnbach was frustrated. So too, were many people in the audience. Kalnbach said MnDOT had done all it could to include the town’s wishes in the design of the project, holding public meetings and working with the Steering Committee.
MnDOT engineer Duane Hill gave a brief overall history of the project.
The projected cost of the Highway 61 project went from an early estimate of $7 million to $13 million, but once the bids were in, the new number is an estimated $21 million.
The work will take place from 1.8 miles north of Cutface Creek to 0.1 miles south of County Road 14, a distance of 11 miles.
The goal is to smooth the pavement, improve pedestrian accessibility and safety, and improve drainage and stream stability.
As for the elms, unless something dramatic happens, they will be here through October, but then they will be taken down.
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