Board awards $11.56 million contract for Gunflint Trail "Mill the Hill" and associated projects

The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved awarding the contract for the Mill the Hill and associated projects to the low bidder, KGM Contractors, for the amount listed in the bid packet (low bid: $11,561,762.20).

County engineering staff described the project’s geographic scope and major elements: milling and overlay of the Gunflint Trail from Fifth Avenue in Grand Marais up to the Four Corners intersection at the golf course; adding a slow-traffic lane up the hill to create four lanes in that uphill section; a 168-foot single-span bridge to replace an undersized culvert at Little Devil Track (near Hogs Bend); milling and overlay of the cutoff road; and realignment of the Old Ski Hill Road/cutoff intersection to a perpendicular configuration. Staff said the work will affect summer traffic and that the highway department plans a public town-hall meeting in spring to share detour and timing details.

Jacob Baker, engineering technician, stood in for Engineer Kimball Hass and answered project detail questions. Commissioners praised coordination between highway staff, soil and water partners, and local stakeholders; county and soil-and-water staff said the bridge replacement will reduce stream constriction and should improve water-quality outcomes.

A motion to award the contract to the low bidder was made and seconded; the board approved the award with the recorded ayes.

Why it matters: The Mill the Hill project is a major highway reconstruction and safety-improvement project that will affect summer traffic, local businesses, and the Gunflint Trail corridor. The bridge replacement is intended to improve hydraulic function and stream health.

What’s next: County staff will finalize the contract with KGM Contractors, schedule a public town-hall meeting in spring to present traffic and detour plans, and coordinate construction timing with related soil-and-water work.