Officials with the Minnesota Department of Transportation are putting the pieces together for a potential future project on Highway 73 south of Duluth. The work would focus on the route between Highway 210/Clark Avenue in Cromwell to where it enters Kettle River at 3rd Avenue North.

The Highway 73 route between Cromwell and Kettle River is frequently used by residents in those communities as a faster way to-and-from, without having to access the I-35 corridor.

While there isn't a timeline for the project currently, MNDOT needs to meet certain requirements in order to obtain federal funding. Their engineers also want to get a better feel for how the roadway functions today and what those current and future needs would be,

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That's why they're undertaking what's called a "corridor study" right now. Cost for the study is budgeted at $520,000.

Here's what MNDOT hopes to accomplish with the study:

  • Perform a safety analysis of the corridor
  • Perform a traffic analysis
  • Engage local partners, organizations, and community members
  • Gather feedback on the existing roadway issues
  • Develop potential corridor alternatives that address the issues and concerns identified by community members and the traffic analysis
  • Identify potential environmental impacts
  • Identify potential improvement projects that match the needs of the corridor with the available funding

As part of the corridor study, MNDOT will host a variety of public meetings to solicit input.  The first of those will be held - using a hybrid method - on Wednesday, April 5 starting at 5:00 PM. The formal presentation will begin at 5:15 PM.  During this hybrid meeting, those in attendance will be able to learn about the purpose of the study, talk to project staff, and provide commentary and feedback.

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Those wishing to attend the meeting in person can do so at the Cromwell Pavilion:  5577 Cromwell Park Drive. The online hybrid portion will be available via the link on the MNDOT website on the Highway 73 Corridor Project Page. You can also call 855-282-6330 and enter the Meeting Access Code:  2491 961 9499.

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