Coalition presses for highway improvements

By Joni Astrup

Star News

 

Local leaders are turning up the heat to improve key corridors like Highway 10 and Highway 169 in Elk River and beyond.

 

One of the people in the thick of it is Sherburne County Commissioner Bruce Anderson of Elk River.

 

Afternoon rush-hour traffic headed west on Highway 10 near Main Street in Elk River last week.

 

Anderson, the former Sherburne County sheriff, said traffic congestion has been an issue in Elk River for a long time and he heard a lot of concerns about it while campaigning last year.

 

“It has been a huge issue,” he said. “As we all know, if you try to get into Elk River when people are coming home from work or even getting through in the early morning hours, it really gets bottled up. We definitely need to do something.”

 

It’s a larger issue than Elk River, however, he said. There is interest across the region in seeing highway improvements.

 

Anderson said a number of entities have passed resolutions in support of improvements to key regional highways including Anoka and Sherburne counties, area cities such as Elk River, Anoka, Ramsey and  Zimmerman and the Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce. Law enforcement officials are also supportive.

 

The issue is on the radar of local, state and federal officials as well.

 

U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, met with area officials last month in Ramsey to discuss transportation issues, specifically Highway 10 and I-94. Among those attending the meeting from Elk River were City Administrator Cal Portner and City Engineer Justin Femrite.

 

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minnesota, visited the State Capitol in March to advocate for two north metro transportation projects. At a press conference, Bachmann pushed for funding lane additions on Interstate 94 and dollars for improvements on heavily traveled Highway 10. She was flanked by Republican legislators and local leaders, including Anderson, state Rep. Nick Zerwas, R-Elk River, and Brian Olson, operations manager with Cretex in Elk River.

 

Anderson said Gov. Mark Dayton is aware of the issue as well.

 

Zerwas, meanwhile, said Anderson had approached him about how they are getting the counties and other stakeholders together, rallying around the transportation issue.

 

Zerwas said he has met with Bachmann and her staff and they have indicated that “transportation in our area is her No. 1 priority.” He said the congresswoman has indicated she will apply the same focus to improving Highway 10 as she did in seeking funding for a new bridge at Stillwater.

 

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