The City of Northfield is inviting all members of the community to attend an Open House on Wednesday, December 20th, to view and discuss ideas that are being considered for improvements on Trunk Highway 246.
As the city continues to prioritize safer roads for all modes of transportation, a study of Highway 246 has been underway to look at improvements running from Woodley Street at Highway 3 to Division Street, and then running south to County Road 81 and possibly beyond.
The city is using the study to evaluate the road’s condition, understand what would need to be done to bring the road up to the city’s standards, and to create conceptual plans for improvements that could be made.
Opinions and feedback are being requested from members of the general public about improvements they would like to see, and the city has created an interactive website with three concepts for people to view, evaluate and make comments.
The first concept would create a median at the far end of Woodley Street, add sidewalks on the south side of the street up to Division Street, and a bike lane on the North side. An Enhanced bike lane would be constructed on the west side of the highway between Woodley and the high school, several enhanced crossings would be installed, and a compact roundabout would be built at the 246 County Road 81 intersection. Additionally, the plan leaves room to install a traffic signal at the entrance to the high school in the future.
The second concept would add several more compact roundabouts, and more enhanced crossings. The third would add an expanded version of the median through the length of Woodley and onto Division Street.
As of right now, the State of Minnesota owns and controls the road. In order for any of these plans to be implemented, the state would have to turn the road over to the city, which is an idea that has been in discussion for some time.
All three concepts can be viewed, and comments can be given, on the City of Northfield website at northfieldmn.gov through January 20th. Project engineers will make a presentation on the final recommendations to the Northfield City Council that is tentatively scheduled for February 6.
The Open House will be held in the second floor training room of Northfield City Hall on Wednesday from 5-7pm.
Ricks, Lundin join elite group
On Tuesday night, two local coaches were inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Donna Ricks, who has been the Carleton College Women’s Cross Country Head Coach for 30 years, and Phil Lundin who coached the St. Olaf College Men’s Cross Country Team from 2008-2020, were part of a six member class who, in the words of a statement issued by the Coaches Association, “have brought great distinction to themselves, to their institutions, and to the sports of cross country and track & field.”
Ricks, the reigning NCAA Division-III Women’s Cross-Country Coach of the Year, coached her team to the Division-III National Championship this year. It was not only the women’s program’s first National Title, but just the second National Championship in the history of Carleton College Athletics, joining the 1980 Carleton Men’s Team.
Under Ricks, the women’s cross-country team has won 12 MIAC crowns, seven regional titles, and made 20 appearances at the NCAA D-III Cross Country Championships, and she has coached more than 70 runners to All-America honors.
Meanwhile, St. Olaf’s Lundin coached 184 MIAC all-conference selections, 52 individual or relay conference champions, 49 national qualifiers, 40 individual or relay All-Americans, 10 national-qualifying teams, seven individual national champions, and six conference-championship teams. In 2013, his team captured St. Olaf’s first National Championship. He is an eight-time MIAC Coach of the Year, and during his time as coach, the men’s cross-country team won five-straight MIAC titles and recorded three-straight top-five national finishes, placing second in 2014 and fourth in 2015 in addition to the 2013 national title.
Ricks and Lundin became just the second and third coaches from the MIAC inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining former St. Olaf head women’s cross country and track and field coach Chris Daymont, who was inducted in 2014.
Nominate your favorite member of the Chamber
Nominations are now open for the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Business and Chamber Business Person of the year.
Each year, the Chamber recognizes the accomplishments of local businesses and business people and the contributions they make to the community. Those with an interest are encouraged to nominate someone or a business they feel is deserving of these honors. Self-nominations are encouraged.
Nominations are due by Wednesday December 27th, by 5pm. All nominations will be reviewed by the Chamber’s Selection Committees. Winners will be recognized at the Annual Meeting and Business Recognition Banquet which will be held January 25th at Armory Square. The statement said more information about the banquet will be sent out soon.
Recent recipients of the Business Person of the Year award include the 2023 Recipient, Randy Yoder of Buji ActionCOACH, Joan Spaulding, owner of the Hideaway Coffee House and Wine Bar, Tim Freeland of Edina Realty, and Beth Ayotte, the owner of Service Master by Ayotte of Northfield. The 2023 Business of the Year was Professional Dental, other recent Businesses of the Year include Capital Construction, Aldrich Technology, Aurora Pharmaceutical and Imminent Brewing.
Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce President Jane Bartho said that only current members of the Chamber will be considered for the award. Non-members who are nominated will be disqualified.
Nominations may be emailed to Bartho at Janeb@northfieldchamber.com, they may be dropped off at the Chamber Office at 19 Bridge Square during regular hours of operation, or a nomination form can be found on the Chamber website at northfieldchamber.com.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
