First Phase of Pinecone Road Project Could be Approved Monday [AUDIO]

SARTELL - Pinecone Road in Sartell is need of repair, and the first phase of that project could be approved next week. City Engineer Mike Nielson says Phase 1 of the three phase project could start later this year.

Nielson says the city council is expected to vote on this phase of the project during their meeting on Monday night. Phase 1 would start after June 15th, and will take about three months.

Nielson says at least three roundabouts are included in the plans. He says safety is one of the reasons for the use of a roundabout at the 2nd Street South intersection...

Nielson says roundabouts also require fewer lanes than traditional signal intersections...

Future projects include Phase 2 - which is 7th to 15th Street north, and Phase 3 - which is 15th to 33rd Street North. It could take three to five years to complete all three phases.

The total cost of the project is expected to be about $4 million. The half-cent sales tax and municipal state aide is paying for it.

Nielson says they are using concrete paving, which should last for the next 30 years. Pinecone is a heavily traveled road in Sartell, going from about 2,500 daily vehicles in 1996 to about 20,000 now.