At the Highway 23 Coalition Annual Meeting, attendees were given the opportunity to learn more about the current progress on the Mora Highway 65 and Highway 23 Corridor Study from Tom Cruikshank, Principal Planner, District 3, Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Below are the details provided during Mr. Cruikshank's presentation.
About the Study
Highway 65 and Highway 23 in Mora are heavily traveled roads that serve the local community and greater region. MnDOT, in partnership with the city of Mora and Kanabec County, is conducting a study to understand the corridor's needs, identify potential improvements and develop an ultimate vision for the future.
Project Schedule
Phase 1: Project Introduction
Oct 2022 - Mar 2023
Introduce the study, develop project goals, learn more about the current conditions/issues and ask for feedback
Phase 2: Develop, evaluate, and establish a recommended design alternative
Apr 2023 - Nov 2023
Share design alternatives, ask for feedback, and provide recommendations.
Phase 3: Develop and share Implementation Plan and Study Report
Nov 2023 - Jan 2024
Project Goals
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Develop a safe and equitable multimodal transportation system
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Provide improvements that are compatible and sustainable with the environment
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Support local business community
Community Engagement Summary
Minnesota Department of Transportation engaged the community in getting the message out about the Mora Highway 65 and Highway 23 Corridor Study. With a total of 20 attendees at the meet and greet, 257 participants in an online survey, 71 comments on an interactive map, and over 1.6k Let's Talk Transportation website interactions, it's clear that people are eager to learn about the project details. The initiative even went the extra mile and mailed postcards to more than 2,150 residents and businesses, as well as notifying 139 businesses and neighborhood associations. Two focus group meetings with 30 attendees and three targeted stakeholder interviews were also conducted. It's great to see such a comprehensive approach to gathering feedback and ideas from the community.
For additional information on the Mora Highway 65 and Highway 23 Corridor Study, check out the MnDOT project page.