Highway commissioner warns County E project faces higher county costs, DNR obstacles

The Sawyer County Highway Commissioner told the Public Works Committee that crews have been crack-sealing, patching and replacing damaged guardrails, and that a large sign-replacement effort is under way for the State Highway 27 project.

The commissioner said crews replaced one covered sign on County W and that the State Highway 27 project will replace a total of 793 signs. He also reported that road bans were removed on May 21 and that a CC Bridal bridge-replacement project will begin mid-June with a detour and waterway markers during construction.

The bulk of the discussion focused on County E North, a federally funded project that staff estimated currently has about $3.5 million in federal funding but that could require substantial county dollars for required mitigation and design changes. The commissioner said the county was currently "on the hook for about" $895,000 before right-of-way purchases and that a consultant's proposed retaining wall could add more than $1 million of county cost; he warned county exposure could rise substantially depending on required measures. He said the DNR has not yet responded to county inquiries and that DNR concerns include a 10-foot clear zone at Spring Lake and turtle-protection issues that affect allowable bank protection options (for example, riprap). The commissioner said one alternative is "no build" or to pulverize and repave at county expense for an estimated roughly $1 million, rather than pursue a federally compliant reconstruction that could cost more for the county share.

The commissioner said he has asked the DOT and the DNR for alternatives and that if the DNR delays or requires measures the project could be pushed back another year; the project has already been delayed and is currently scheduled for 2027 rather than 2025. He described a tight schedule to submit 60%-complete plans in the coming months and said he would notify the committee when the DNR provides guidance.

Committee members asked about County F and whether resurfacing should include a three-foot bike shoulder. Staff said adding a dedicated bike path or widening would likely require applying for funding such as the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and could increase project costs substantially; county-only resurfacing or scaled improvements remain options for lower cost but carry trade-offs in meeting federal standards.

The highway report also noted ongoing MSHA training for highway shop staff, active recruitment for summer labor and flaggers, and a recent joint finance meeting where local commissioners urged higher state aid (GTA) and RMA funding increases. The commissioner said he would bring cost information for potential County F improvements to the committee for further discussion.