Wright County approves three transportation resolutions to keep road and bridge projects on schedule

The Wright County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 2 passed three transportation resolutions aimed at advancing road and bridge projects and protecting federal funding.

The board approved a resolution to start the 90-day access window for the County Road 36 project (Resolution 2578). County staff said the project — described as the County Road 36 corridor from County Road 101 to County Road 94 — carries about $4.2 million in federal funding, with the remainder to come from city contributions and local sales tax. Chad, a county staff member presenting the items, said the motion begins a statutory process to secure right-of-way access while the county works to settle with impacted property owners. "We fully expect to settle with all the residents, but this just starts the process to set the dates," Chad said.

The board also approved Resolution 2579 to add work tied to a planned 2028 MnDOT bridge replacement on County Road 108 south of Buffalo. The additional scope would replace an existing DNR rate-control structure with rock rip-rap "rock ripples," a stepped structure intended to improve fish passage and spawning habitat. County staff said the county would take the lead administratively and be reimbursed by the partnering agency, and that the change would not add cost to the county budget.

Finally the board approved Resolution 2580 to contribute the county's share to a MnDOT project on Highway 25 between Buffalo and Monticello. That project includes signal improvements, minor modifications and a roundabout at County Road 37 and Highway 25. The county had budgeted $1 million for its cost-share; staff said the current estimate is a little over $800,000 and that they do not anticipate budget shortfalls.

Each resolution was approved by voice vote. For the County Road 36 action, the record shows the board moved and voted in favor to begin the condemnation/access process to keep the project on schedule and protect federal funding. For the Deer Lake work the board approved partnering to allow DNR-style habitat improvements. For the MnDOT project the board authorized the county's cost-share to proceed with the planned intersection improvements.

Next steps: staff will proceed with the right-of-way/access timeline for County Road 36, coordinate consultant scope changes and reimbursement for the Deer Lake work, and finalize the county cost-share for the MnDOT project as design and cost estimates are refined.