by Rich Larson
Rice County and the Minnesota Department of Transportation has proposed the construction of a six-legged roundabout at the intersection
of I-35 at Highway 19, and the county is asking for public input on the proposed project in the design stage.
The county has identified the intersection as one that requires change and redesign. It is an atypical intersection where multiple roadways converge on a single point causing driver delays, which has led to driver confusion and higher than normal crash rates. It is also an area that has seen increasing traffic, with further increases expected. Ongoing economic development around the intersection has impacted and will further impact the function of the interchange, especially on the east side.
The location is also part of the I-35 Emergency Alternate Route and as such, any closings on I-35 within this area can, does and will continue to create severe congestion and safety issues.
With all of this in mind, Rice County has made a virtual open house available online. Visitors to the virtual open house will find a detailed explanation of the project, a concept layout showing a preliminary image of how the roundabout will be laid out, a cost and funding breakdown of the project, a discussion of traffic roundabout safety benefits, and a timeline of the construction schedule, which could run from April through August of 2023.
An email to county stakeholders from the Rice County Engineering and Highway Departments speculated that a detour would be installed to County Highway 1, through Dundas, during the construction.
The final page on the website offers contact information to project managers and designers, as well as a form to offer feedback and opinions.
An in-person Open House is scheduled for October 14 at the Rice County Highway Department from 5-7pm. The public will have the opportunity to discuss the project in detail with county and project staff, ask questions, and give their input.
The Virtual Open House will be online through October 21st at ricecountyth19rab.com
Roundabout Mural Dedication set for Wednesday
The City of Northfield will put the finishing touches on the Jefferson Parkway/Highway 246 roundabout this week with the dedication of the murals in the tunnels beneath roadway.
The roundabout was constructed in 2020 and opened almost exactly one year ago.
City officials and members of the Northfield Arts and Culture Commission will host the public dedication ceremony in the pedestrian tunnels on Wednesday. The ceremony will include speeches from Northfield Mayor Rhonda Pownell, Library Director Natalie Draper, and artist Adam Turman.
“The roundabout alone was a significant improvement to a busy intersection,” said Draper who is also the city staff liaison to the Arts and Culture Commission, “[but the] roundabout isn’t just an infrastructure project. With the addition of Adam Turman’s murals it’s a place to gather, to appreciate and enjoy, and it gives us something to be proud of and cherish.”
The Northfield Public Art Review Committee (PARC) selected Twin Cities-based artist Adam Turman to create the murals. The theme of the artwork is the four ecologies near Northfield—the Cannon River, Nerstrand Big Woods, Oak Savannah, and Prairie. Turman completed the murals in August.
The murals were funded by the 1% for the Arts program which specifies one percent of construction costs of a city capital improvement project should be dedicated to public art.
The ceremony will be held in the northeast corner between two of the tunnel entrances. It will begin at 3:30.
City Council to vote on environmental assessment tomorrow
The Northfield City Council will meet tomorrow night at 6:00 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. 
Among the items on the agenda will be a presentation discussing the state of the Archer House demolition and looking ahead to redevelopment of the site once the structure has been taken down. Before it can be demolished, the Heritage Preservation Commission must sign off on the process by issuing a Certificate of Appropriateness. Rebound is also applying for tax increment financing from the city to redevelop the area.
Another Rebound project is on the regular agenda, as the council will decide whether to accept a petition handed down to them from the state Environmental Quality Board asking for an Environmental Assessment Worksheet to be done on the former Paulson Tree Farm property. Rebound Partners, Schmidt Homes and the Stencil Group have proposed to build a large housing and apartment development on the 12-acre site, which has been met with strong opposition from area residents. The EAW would determine if an environmental impact study is necessary for the area which could delay progress on the project indefinitely.
The council will also consider a conditional use permit for construction of a proposed new solar garden to be built in the Northwest section of the city.
As always, the City of Northfield is asking for input from the community on these matters and any other concern members of the public might have. The public is invited to address the council on any matter during the meeting. Those wishing to address an issue without making a public appearance can email their City Councilor directly or may comment through the eComment button in the agendas section of the Northfield City website or by clicking here.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
