Highway 169 Phase 2 (Part 2) – Cross Range Expressway April 30, 2014 Public Information Meeting Taconite Community Center

Agenda Overview Short Presentation ~ 15 min Questions/Comments Today’s Meeting

History of the Cross Range Expressway Corridors of Commerce (COC) Program MnDOT District 1 COC Project - TH 169 Proposed Improvements Project Update Next Steps ROW Acquisition Process Questions Agenda

Cross Range Expressway

1986 Draft Environmental Impact Statement 1989 Final Environmental Impact Statement 1994 Phase I Construction 2003 Phase II Environmental Assessment Phase II (Part 1) Construction 2016 Phase II (Part 2) Construction (COC) Project History

PhasesLength Constructed Remaining Phase I6.7 mi Phase II (part 1)2.8 mi & 2007 Phase II (part 2)1.6 mi. X Phase III3.8 mi. X Phase IV1.9 mi X Phase V2.1 mi X Total 18.9 miles 9.4 miles Expressway Segments

The 2013 Minnesota Legislature created the Corridors of Commerce program by authorizing the sale of up to $300 million in new bonds for the construction, reconstruction and improvement of trunk highways. District 1 proposed TH 169 Expansion Project -Selected November Legislature allocated $14M to $20M Corridors of Commerce Program

TH 169 Freight Route

TH lane to 4-lane expansion 1.55 mile segment Existing AADT 6,600 (2011) TH 169 – Supplemental Freight Route Part of Phase II of the Cross Range Expressway Environmental Assessment completed for this segment in 2003 Const. Cost Estimate = $9.5M District 1 – Corridors of Commerce Project

East End of Bovey Bypass 0.3 Mi E. of CSAH 7 Phase 2 (Part 2)

TH 169 Better Clear Zone, Center Median Install Intersection Lighting (CSAH 15 and CSAH 7) Construct designated Turn Lanes Access Control (Combine Access in Holman) Replace Plate Steel Box Culvert CSAH 15 Realign Intersection to 90 degrees Realign Intersection with Rail Corridor to near 90 degrees CSAH 7 Replace Plate Steel Box Culvert Project Improvements

Project Alignment and Limits Established Wetland Delineation – completed Fall of 2013 Preliminary Design - continued Field Surveys – nearly completed Property Acquisition – Titles Acquired Agency Coordination – MnDNR - permit Corp of Engineers – wetland permit MPCA – stormwater treatment Project Update

Project Outreach and Coordination started– Itasca County City of Taconite Western Mesabi Mine Planning Board Canadian National Railway Mesabi Bike Trail Local Snowmobile Clubs Utility Companies Project Update (cont’d)

Survey Mapping, Soil Investigations – May 2014 Environmental Assessment (Re-Evaluation) – Fall 2014 ROW Acquisition Complete – Spring 2016 Final Design – Start July 2014 & Finish Spring 2016 Project Permitting Project Letting – June 2016 Next Steps

MnDOT Determines Land Ownership - MnDOT Design Finalizes Construction Limits MnDOT Notifies Affected Property Owners- - Anticipated Late 2014 or Early 2015 MnDOT has affected Parcels Appraised MnDOT prepares written Offers to Purchase ROW Acquisition Process

Questions / Comments?

Project Estimated Phases Cost Total Project Cost Phase I $10.0 M Phase II (part 1) $14.6 M Phase II (part 2) $11.5M - $12.5M Phase III $35M - $46M** Phase IV $17M - $22M** Phase V $58M - $77M** Total $121.5M – 157.5M ** 2018 Dollars Expressway Segment Costs

Segments * 2032 ** Bovey to CSAH 7 5,800 6,600 7,700 9,500 CSAH 7 to Marble 5,500 5,800 7,300 9,100 Marble to Calumet 4,900 5,600 6,200 8,000 Calumet to Pengilly 4,750 5,600 7,200 9,000 * Based on MnDOT Projections ** Based on Projected AADT of 1800 from SEH Traffic Analysis for Essar Steel Project Traffic Data (AADT)