Wright and Sherburne counties are partnering to conduct the Highway 25 Area Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study, now through December 2024. The study will examine a range of cost-effective transportation alternatives to address capacity, access, mobility, and safety issues in the Highway 25 area between I-94 and Highway 10. A focus on planning and environmental analysis will speed the start of any future projects in the study area.
The study area includes the Highway 25 area between I-94 and Highway 10 including the surrounding cities of Monticello, Big Lake, and Becker and townships of Monticello, Big Lake, Becker, and Silver Creek. This study will help Wright and Sherburne counties better understand the variety of ways people use the Highway 25 corridor and the area transportation network, and what potential improvements will be of most benefit in the future.
The PEL process allows project partners to build consensus around needed transportation improvements and aligns with required state and federal planning and environmental processes. The goal of the study is to create transparency, build community trust and ensure collaboration that results in recommendations that stakeholders and the public can support.
This study will take place in three phases starting this summer and going through December 2024. The first phase, Analyze Existing Conditions and Needs, will take place now through December of 2023. It will look at the existing conditions of the Highway 25 area and identify the current issues that need improvement. The second phase, Develop Improvement Alternatives and Evaluate, will take place from January through August of 2024. The input from phase one will be reviewed to create a range of alternatives that will be presented to the community for feedback. The final phase, Study Documentation, will take place from September through December of 2024. This phase will gather all the input from the first two phases to create a long-term plan to improve the Highway 25 area. In this phase a final report will be presented, including the next steps to be taken.
Public involvement is crucial to this PEL study. Wright and Sherburne Counties are engaging with stakeholders and the public to gather input to help identify recommendations for this area. Join us from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, November 6 at the Monticello Community Center (505 Walnut St, Monticello, MN 55362) for an Open House or from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, November 8 for a Virtual Lunch and Learn meeting. Both events will be an opportunity to introduce the project and be the first of three phases of public engagement. For more information and opportunities to get involved you can attend community pop-up events, take an online survey, or give feedback on the web-based mapping tool.
To learn more about this project, give feedback through the online mapping tool, and sign up for project updates visit: https://arcg.is/1qaWPz0