Stearns County Board Approves Controversial Construction Project

BROCKWAY TOWNSHIP (WJON News) -- A planned road improvement project north of St. Stephen will go forward as planned despite neighbor opposition.

Stearns County Road 2 is a minor arterial roadway that carries nearly 1,700 vehicles per day. As part of the county's five-year road improvement program, the corridor between County Road 1 and 241st Street is scheduled to undergo safety improvements.

A number of residents oppose the project citing several concerns to their personal property lines and resident safety, among others.

County Engineer Jodi Teich says some alternative alignments were proposed, but her staff concluded those were subject to an Environmental Assessment because of wetlands and would require Brockway Township to take over the existing alignment...

A viable outcome from the Environmental Assessment is don't build. Use your existing alignment. You have to justify your environmental impacts with a purpose of need. And, the fact we (already) have a road there that is a county highway, traffic might just continue to take it and none of those safety issues will be addressed at all.

Some of the improvements include softening a horizontal curve in the road, improved inslopes, eight-foot paved shoulders, and 12-foot traffic lanes.

County commissioners approved the project 4-0 with Commissioner Joe Perske absent.

The work will be completed this year.