The Sawyer County Highway Department told the Public Works Committee that the County E reconstruction faces significant environmental and cost constraints tied to federal funding and pending DNR review, and that the project could be delayed again if state agencies do not approve design alternatives.

The highway commissioner (speaking as the department representative) said about $3.5 million in federal funding is available for the project but that the county already is on the hook for approximately $895,000 in local costs before right-of-way purchases and consultant fees. The commissioner said one design alternative would require "almost a mile of retaining wall at over a million dollars county cost" and warned the county could be on the hook for "almost $2,000,000" unless change management is approved by project sponsors.

The commissioner said County E North runs along Spring Lake and that DNR concerns about turtles and shoreline treatments (including restrictions on riprap) complicate acceptable designs. He said one option would be to "pulverize and repave it on county dollar for less than a million" but that federally funded alternatives trigger more stringent standards. The project, originally scheduled earlier, has been pushed back; the commissioner said construction is now expected in 2027 if approvals proceed.

Committee members asked about deadlines and alternatives; staff said they are short on time to submit 60% plans and that if the DNR delays or objects the project could be pushed back another year, increasing costs. The commissioner said he had provided the committee a list of alternatives and was working with experienced commissioners from other counties on next steps.

At the meeting the highway department also reported routine maintenance work: crack sealing and patching in preparation for County W paving starting May 19, replacement of about 793 signs on the State Highway 27 project, removal of road bans on May 21, and plans to start the CC Bridal bridge replacement mid-June (the bridge will be closed during construction with a signed detour). Staff encouraged residents to report complaints through the engineer or the airport manager when relevant.

The committee requested that staff gather cost estimates for county-led improvements (for example, adding guardrail or shoulder work on County F) and return with information so members can decide whether to pursue county-only fixes or pursue federal/state funding.