Hello everyone. Uh I'm Myron Bailey, mayor of Cottage Grove, and today we want to do something a little bit different uh than instead of our typical mayor's update. I'm joined today by County Commissioner Carla Bingham to talk about some of the road and the infrastructure projects you'll be see happening around town in our community this spring and summer. So, Commissioner Bingham, thank you for being here. I appreciate the opportunity to come on and and talk about how the county and city work closely together on so many transportation projects and we thought it'd be helpful to talk through and go through uh what's coming up and how these improvements are going to benefit the residents. >> Absolutely. And so what we're going to do today is we're actually going to kind of u go between each other with different projects because there's obviously a lot of projects that go between the city of Cottage Grove and uh Washington County. And so we thought we would give a clearer picture of like all the projects or a good chunk of the project that we're doing around town and then what you're going to see in the coming months. So let's uh I guess I'll kick it over to you. You get to ask me the first question. >> Absolutely. So let's start with one of the city projects that people will definitely notice uh this year and that's the 80th Street rehabilitation program. What's going on with that? >> Yes, thank you. And I will tell you that is going to be a very big project in Cottage Grove. is going to start in April and it'll be done some hopefully around November. So, it is a long project. You might wonder, okay, what are we going to be doing? Well, first of all, from a public standpoint, we'll be redoing from ideal all the way to Highway 61. We'll be replacing the pavement. So, all the current pavement will be taken up and new pavement put down. We're going to construct dual left turn lanes at 80th and Hardwood, which is a big one I hear from our citizens. Increasing the uh intersections capacity. We're going to be adding new signals via the interchange ramps and 80th Street and Hyde, which I've heard is a big one people are talking about a lot. And we're also going to do upgrades to the o other signals that are along uh 80th Street. We're going to improve the turn lanes by the school. You'll see that especially with the new access points by Crest and Park. And then we're going to restore the two southbound lanes of traffic on East Point Douglas Road by Huntington Bank. And the one thing I want to mention about that is if you remember, you're kind of coming AC down that aisle there. All of a sudden, if you need to go to Hiy or Starbucks, everybody runs to the the one lane. There'll actually be two two lanes going in and then a straight lane. So, that'll be that'll be pretty cool. And I should mention though that all the work in front of uh Park and uh Crest View uh elementary is scheduled to happen after school is out for the season. So, I want to mention that and uh in June and it'll it'll be fixed or done before uh it resumes in September. So, we encourage you to head to adthstreetc.com uh to learn more uh before the and during the project. So, again, adthstreetc.com is your opportunity to learn more as this project is commencing. Obviously, another improvement uh people will notice in that same area is a big one too, which I'm excited about is counter 19 and 80th Street intersection. You want to commissioner, you want to tell? So this is like building off of what you just said um that whole corridor and it's a great example of how the city and the county uh really are partnering to improve safety. So we are going to be replacing that longtime hallway stop with a modern roundabout. Uh and that'll be helpful and that will move traffic more smoothly especially during the morning and afternoon rushes that really back up there with the cars and to keep things moving during the construction because of all the traffic there. You have the schools on the one end. You have the city, county, city hall, county building, all the other stuff on the other end. We're going to be building a temporary bypass so north to south traffic on County Road 19 can uh still continue to pass through that area. And the east leg will need to close for part of the project, but we will have clear detours uh in place when that happens. When it is all finished, the drivers will see fewer delays and safer turning movements and much more efficient and effective intersection overall. And this is uh isn't about today. It's really part of our broader effort to prepare that whole corridor for the future growth that you know uh very well what's happening there. Uh there's going to be more homes, there's going to be more businesses that come to that area and we need intersections that can handle that and in a safe way. uh and the higher traffic volumes that'll be coming and and this roundabout is one of the first steps uh in getting the system ready uh for the next decade and beyond. >> Yeah. And I I better throw this in there because I know you were really concerned about this and that is the tank corn stand. >> Yes. Very very concerned communities. >> Yeah. Yeah. So I should mention to you I've had great conversations with the tanks and when this uh intersection is temporarily closed or redirected we will find them a home. They are planning to still open a stand this year and so there's a couple options that we're talking about. So you will still be able to get your tank farm uh uh sweet corn. Fantastic this year. So I want to mention that because I know it's a big deal for you. >> So now I want to uh switch to something that more involves both the city and the county kind of working together and this is the street extension and county road 19A realignment. Why do you think this project is so important? Well, again, this is this project is very important and it's about improving the connectivity and the long-term traffic flow. Again, another area that is, you know, growing very fast and we can create a safer and more efficient roadway network as that area continues to grow. From the county's perspective, this is one of the most important future looking projects that we are working with any city on. to be honest, the existing roadway today is not well designed for the level of development for the traffic that we're seeing today. And so we are it certainly was not built for what is coming for the next decade. So again, kind of like the previous project, we're preparing for that growth that uh you all are having in that industrial area there. But realigning 19A and extending 100 street gives us a chance to fix that and it will create a cleaner, more direct connection to Highway 61 and reduce that congestion on Jamaica Avenue and that roundabout which by the way uh when we both were on the council together was one of the first roundabouts in the county. I believe >> it was. >> And so we need to reduce the traffic in that area. over capacity and improve that safety by eliminating the the awkward turning uh movements for the truck drivers and the the drivers really that deal with that today. >> Yeah, absolutely. And I'll just mention from the city's perspective and and you kind of touched upon it right now is during certain times of the day, there is a lot of challenge, if you will, with getting trucks that are coming out from our business park as well as when shifts lit in and out. Traffic along Jamaica there and the roundabouts becomes very congested. We're looking at this as another great opportunity for us to get another access point out to Highway 61. And if you notice, we keep talking about 19 or 19A. Uh, so there's lots of connectivity between both the I'll say the north and east side of the Cottage Grove as well as the south and west. And this is just kind of a another uh piece of that. Um, and I also should mention too that it it will relieve some of that traffic on Jamaica, which is our ultimate goal. We also know that this is going to really open up an additional area in Cottage Grove for development. And then last thing I'll mention is there will be an access point from the south going north if you will to the Langden area which everybody knows the old Majestic Ballroom >> coming down. >> Um yes it is finally this year coming down. I think I can say that pretty close >> and and the idea though is uh that will open up that area for uh sewer, water and development. So it's going to be a great opportunity both for commercial as well for affordable housing. >> Yeah, exactly. And when the roads align better and the intersections are designed properly, traffic moves more smoothly and safely. Uh, and this project really helps us plan responsibly for that future plan growth. And we're continuing to advance the design details, including the bridge type that's going to have to be replaced there. And we expect construction to begin in 27 or 28. It's a major investment, but one that will support the community for decades. >> Absolutely. Another thing residents may seen see around town uh is a smaller construction activity in different neighborhoods. Uh can you explain the city pavement management projects that are going to occur this summer? >> Yeah. So what you're going to see uh which is typical I guess say every year in Cottage Grove is we do an assessment of various neighborhood streets and such and then what we end up doing at that particular point is we assess them based on where they are in the cycle of life I guess for for pavement. And so what we do is our public works team goes out there and then we look at certain areas and then we if we feel that hey we can get a few more years of use out of that road. What we end up doing is we take off the top layer of the asphalt if you will and then we surface it. So again if the base is in good shape then you don't have to do such an extensive program in there. And so I just wanted to mention there's multiple areas in the community that are going to have this pavement management and the resurfacing that is going to be done. One of the big ones in our community right now or what you'll see this year is 95th Street, which is kind of a business park again, but that one access point. I've had a lot of people mention that to me that that's been a bit of a challenge getting some ruts and things in it. This is going to actually clean that up and you'll see some different restriping uh in that particular area, too. >> Nice. Nice. And so, um you kind of alluded to it, but you know, when when you take off that that first layer there, that's called a milan overlay. >> That is correct. >> What does that mean for drivers? uh a smoother surface. I mean, if you do hear, you know, especially at this time in Minnesota, I mean, you you get that uh freeze thaw situation. You get that the thump the thump or whatever, you will see that go away. And obviously, one, in general, when the weather changes, it's going to get better. But two, um it really extends, like I said, the life of the road, but it also the smoothness of the road. So, it isn't going to be uh as bumpy. You won't have any potholes or anything like that. And it does truly extend the life of the road, >> right? And it's about, you know, maintaining the roads before they get worse. Uh, and it also doing it this way usually means shorter construction impacts as well. >> That is correct. Now you will see some drivers there will be temporary lane closures but overall it is very fast as effective and it does extend the life of the road and we don't normally have to uh go in and do a complete uh reconstruction of the road as soon as maybe we would if we just kind of let it let it fall apart. >> So let's switch to a a county project uh one that's coming up uh on County Road 74 project from Hastings Avenue to Geneva Avenue. What's happening there? I don't think people might know what 74th is. you know, us townies, you know, we know, we know, uh, but, uh, it's 65th Street, and so, uh, it's a full reconstruction to really improve the safety, but extend the life of the roadway again because there's been so much development up there by Olman Middle School, both, you know, uh, residential and obviously with the school traffic. So, you know, we're going to be adding curb and gutter and replacing, uh, the pavement on it. And then we're building a new asphalt trail. People have already noticed that that trail is being constructed there and improving the drainage with a storm water basin and stabilizing the ravine on the north side. So the trail and the stabilization will be on the north side. And this is really a and and truly a multi- agency partnership because the South Washington County watershed district uh the city of Cottage Grove, the city of Newport, and then the county were all working together. uh on the um ravine stabilization and the culvert replacement utilities and the overall project coordination and uh because of the scale of work uh county road 74 65th Street will be closed for much of the summer uh with a posted detour and it's a major investment but with all of us working together the result is going to be so much safer and more durable roadway a stronger storm water system and an additional trail to connect the neighbor neighborhoods. >> Absolutely. And I'll just do an extra plug for you on this, too. I know I've gotten a lot I think I mentioned this to you. I've gotten a lot of >> uh phone calls from people or emails about why are all the trees going down and and the trees are going down because of the expan expansion of and the trail that's going to go in. And if anybody's driven that, I mean, that has been an issue in Cottage Grove uh with regards to drainage and freezing and cars not being able to get up. This particular area, as you mentioned earlier, is you have multiple schools up there. you've got residents uh that live there. There's a business up there, too. So, there's a lot of uh people that use that road and can use that trail, which is going to be nice. So, you'll be able to make it all the way down and get goes into Newport. So, absolutely pretty excited about that. Um that is something that I've had a lot of people ask me about in in the past. So, again, so you can see right now we've got all this development happening around town from a construction standpoint. And we've done a lot of trail work uh through grants uh by the way uh on 65th there because of all the new developments and trying to connect uh for safe safe routes to school and different things like that. So it's it's really a continuation of that work. >> Absolutely. So I I guess the next thing I will just mention um uh in in the in the next phase if you will and everybody's always interested about this if you're on that side of the if you're over off Jamaica and that's Jamaica uh from 70th Street to Military. Why don't you talk about what we're doing there? >> So, one, I don't think people realize that little sliver of road is county because everybody thinks Jamaica is a city street, but in that that area, it actually is the county. There's a little swap a few years ago. But, uh, the city and county are working together right now on a design alternatives for that corridor. Uh, and we'll be sharing those concepts with the public this summer and we'll gather some feedback, have some public open houses and stuff. That construction is programmed for 2028. The goal is to improve the safety and and manage that growth and ensure the roadway continues to serve the residents well into the future. And again, the common theme today is the growth. Uh you got two farms uh that that recently sold to developers and now we'll be having homes out there. So, we do have to prepare for that and um so it's it's exciting about what the potential concepts there will will be and it needs it needs some TLC. So intersections are often where uh safety improvements can make the biggest differences. So tell us about the county uh high another highway 39 here we >> otherwise known as Hadley >> Hadley Avenue and uh the 61 intersection project. >> Yeah. So um this is a actually a city-led project though because and we'll get to that in a second. But the county fully supports it because it really does tackle a major safety issue. And um here's the thing. I was getting phone calls because prior to being the commissioner I was a senator and people sometimes still just reached out to me about mindot projects right and you know I called mindot and I was like hey when are you doing this and they didn't really it was years out merit and so I mentioned that to you and you were like let me talk to my people and see if I can get Mindot to pay us to do it and so they're paying for that portion to fix these ramps and It's uh a lot of your leadership, but also just listening to the residents on, hey, these ramps are horrible, and they are. You know, they're combining the upgrades with that project that you mentioned previously on 80th Street. And uh this the a portion of 80th Street is also County Road uh 39, which is Hadley, that whole intersection there. And this became a true multi- agency partnership uh between Mandot and the county and the city by coordinating everything at once. uh and that will improve safety, reduce future disruptions because they had this on their plan uh for like probably I think it was 2030 and this will make the whole corridor work better for drivers and it's a great example of how collaboration can really deliver these results for residents. >> Absolutely. And and the idea like you said was to coordinate all this together to be done at once. Originally, just so the public is aware, there was a plan to do the ramps like in two years. So, we'll go rip up 80th Street, go through all the reconstruction, and then two years later, right, uh have to rip up all the ramps on on Highway 61, uh near the bridge. And that didn't make any sense. And and between the county and the city and the DOT, they all said, "You know what? This doesn't make sense to like close down those ramps and do that two years from now. Let's coordinate." So, it's been a great partnership between the DOT, the county, and the city to kind of get all this area done all at once. >> Right. Absolutely. >> Perfect. Before we um I'm going to throw a little curveball at you because I know this is a big one. I've heard a lot um before we get to the uh I want to talk about the last project which isn't a road but >> in Woodbury Dale >> and radio. >> Mhm. >> There's a stop sign there. >> Yeah. >> Yes, there's a stop sign there. >> Yes. Three-way stop sign that backs up traffic big time. >> Terrible. >> What's the plan? >> Oh, good. Good gosh. Uh in 2027, uh we are going to be doing a huge project from the roundabout on military all the way to Bailey. Uh just just before Bailey. So if you've noticed last year, Woodbury had a bunch of construction over there. They were doing the first um phase which was their utilities and then now the second phase will be finishing that whole road and upgrading it and making it really sustainable for future growth because the the the uh northern part of Cottage Grove, southern part of Woodbury is like the fastest growing area and that's a major artery into Woodbury for many of our residents and so uh it's going to be a pain and that will be starting next year. Um, but there will be a roundabout, I'm happy to report, at that Dale uh street uh intersection there with radio. >> That's why I threw you a curveball on there because that is a big thing because a lot of people I mean we shop in Cottage, you know, Cottage Grove shops in Woodbury and so on, East Ridge, you know, and all that over there. And the fact is is that if there is one thing that I heard is people like even I think even Cottage Grove people showed up at the open house. >> They did. They did. >> It would vary. Yes. So, it just goes to show you that, you know, working together with the county, our neighboring cities on these road projects make a huge difference to the overall livability and access in and out of our communities. >> Yeah, for sure. For sure. >> Absolutely. So, the last thing I wanted to talk about uh is not road uh related uh but it has to do with the Park Grove Library. >> Yes. >> Do you want to talk about what's going on with that right now? Yes, it is uh currently closed and will be closed until next spring of 2027 for a major renovation. And I could not be more excited about the changes. The the new redesign will feature private meeting rooms, quiet study spaces, expanded maker space, which is hugely popular, a dedicated teen area, and a new outdoor programming space, which we didn't have at the library there that is currently there that was built in 1984. And um we are expanding and improving the parking at Park Grove and the pedestrian access there because of the multi-ousing that's in there as well. There's a lot of pedestrian traffic and um you know while the construction is going on uh residents can still utilize the temporary library at the South Service Center and that's off of County Road 19 by 90th there >> in city hall. >> In in city by city hall. Yep. Uh and we are on track for a grand opening next spring. It's going to be a just a fantastic community space and just really appreciate the support of the city during uh during all of this and and their feedback on it. >> Absolutely. And we're we're obviously excited to see this come to fruition and get this get this going. The designs and and the appearance of the building looks amazing. I think the um ability to uh with the new uh programming and spaces that are going to be in the library will be a great benefit to the entire South Washington County area. >> Absolutely. >> I did I guess there is one more kind of trans well it is transportation that I should throw in there and actually will eventually tie into the library. Uh and that is our circulator system that we have that we deal with dart. So do you want to talk about the expansion? We currently have on Tuesdays the city of Cottage Grove has dart circulator and it goes it's pretty much a where you want to go like you just say hey I got to go to to HY or I got to go to you know the doctor and it'll get you there and you know it is really just something we're very proud of to partner with darts to be able to add a second day which will start in April on Thursdays and that will also expand into Newport and St. Paul Park who do not have access to this currently and you know it can go to places such as a Newport transit center or North Pole or you know where there's a pharmacy and St. Paul Park down you know Broadway. So it where the food shelf is uh so it's very important that our community has access to this. So this is one of the probably most proud accomplishments in the last couple years that that I've been able to to really navigate and help advocate for and I know you're a tremendous supporter of it too. Um but alto together it's just going to help seniors and residents who need help getting around get around our communities and have you know more independence. >> Yeah. And just for the public to be aware the the Tuesday DART program the city of Kover the EDA economic development authority is the one that really got that going and then with your support uh commissioner we were able to get the second day now that uh is going to be used and and by the way it is it it does make stops at our senior facilities but it isn't just for seniors. I mean, if anybody needs to use it or wants to use it, they're welcome to. Uh, but we did want to say that that's just another way of getting people around town in Cottage Grove. And then I think I can speak for both of us real quick. You know, ultimately my personal goal is to see microransit of some type from a a larger level come to Cottage Grove from the U Metropolitan Transit Commission. Uh, and so that is similar to what we're doing on a small scale with DART. So, uh, that would be kind of open for everyone in Cottage Grove. >> Yeah. And we're doing a transit study now and, um, you know, what we call like a a comprehensive transportation study, which is the first one, um, you know, we've we've really done. And so, I agree that I think uh, some sort of circulator uh, to get people through is important and, you know, especially in that industrial park that is growing so so fast. And we do have the park and ride there. uh April 9th, the second day of uh on Thursdays, the dart circulator will start. So, we're very excited. >> Yep. Same here. Absolutely. So, as I think everybody can see um both for our public and uh for you, Commissioner, we have a lot that's going to be happening both this year and next year and even into 28 in some cases with some of the projects that we talked about. >> So, this summer is going to be very very busy and a lot of construction around town. >> Anything you want to add? So, uh, I'm just grateful for the partnerships and being able to really focus on our infrastructure, uh, for the residents and preparing for, uh, the future. You know, it it is where a lot of money, uh, taxpayer dollars go to, so we got to make sure they're in good condition. I think, you know, you mentioned a website. Uh I'm going to mention ours, which is go washingtonamm.com that that really does have um you know, some examples of transit opportunities. And you can always go to our public works page at washingtoncountmn.gov to look at any of these projects that that I've mentioned. We're also both very accessible in the community. Feel free to stop and ask us about that. But, you know, again, you really have the short-term inconvenience of these projects, but they really are going to ensure a safer and more reliable transportation system. And they're major improvements for everyone throughout our community. But I do want to put one other thing out there, and this is mainly for our staff. I want to remind drivers to slow down in work zones. >> Thank you for bringing that up. and our crews are your neighbors, your friends, your family members, and uh and vital members of our community and they deserve to go home safe every day like all of us want to. So, please be mindful of the signs, please be mindful of the speed zones. >> Absolutely. And the only other little um uh playoff of what you just shared there too and I do 100% agree with the uh the safety of our workers and and students and things because obviously with all this construction there's going to be a lot of lot of moving parts in that. Be very aware of what's going on around you. >> And then I also want to do uh do a quick plug for our business areas. Right. So with 80th Street going under reconstruction all through that area. There will be intermittent lane closures. Uh access is going to be a little bit challenging. Please continue to support the restaurants, the businesses, all the places around these areas. Uh we did see that and we really focused on that when we we redid the area around Jamaica and East Point Douglas Road down there by Target. Uh definitely needed um we our businesses down there did see somewhat of a drop in their business and we want to make sure that we continue to support them. We don't want them to, you know, the goal here is for all of us to have e ease of access, but also to get into these places easier and we want to make sure that uh they survive this, right? Uh because uh it's important to continue to grow our business community in Cottage Grove and support all those that are have invested here. So, I would just mention uh we do encourage our residents to stay informed. >> Um whether it's reaching out to our county commissioner, Carla Bingham, or myself, you all know that uh we're both, as you mentioned earlier, very active in the community. if there's something else out there because there are other projects and things that are coming about in the next few years that hey, what about this, what about that, drop a note in the comments area and then um or or reach out to us through uh email or social media and we'll be more than happy to try to answer any questions that you might have. >> Absolutely. >> So, I guess with that, I'm going to I guess I'll sign it off, but thank you so much for uh joining me today because like I said, these projects are important. And again, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to myself as Mayor Cottage Grove or our county commissioner Carla Bingham. >> Absolutely.