Carver County US 212 Project

Community Funding Project: US 212 Rural Freight and Mobility Project

Funding Requested: $4,000,000

Value to the Taxpayer:

The proposed improvements have direct and immediate benefit for local populations. Within four miles of the project corridor there are four senior housing facilities, seven schools, five healthcare facilities, and eleven affordable housing sites with 155 units.

In addition, this project will provide efficiency, safety, and reliability benefits for local freight-related businesses. With over 60 freight generators located adjacent to US 212, this segment of roadway carries over 1,300 trucks daily – significantly exceeding typical truck percentages on most state highways. Increasing capacity, widening shoulders, and constructing an interchange will give freight haulers and businesses increased free flow speeds, less congestion, increased travel time reliability, eliminate merge bottlenecks, and improve safety. This project will reduce heavy commercial vehicle operational costs by more than 17 percent, or 10,500 hours annually. Local businesses such as Bongards Creameries, Michael Foods Inc., and 3M have expressed their continued support for this project.

Project Summary:

The US 212 Rural Freight Mobility and Safety Project will expand approximately 5.5 miles of US Highway 212, an existing Principal Arterial roadway, from a rural two-lane undivided highway to a four-lane divided expressway from County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 36 in the City of Cologne to CSAH 34 in the City of Norwood Young America. The Project will construct Reduced Conflict Intersections (RCIs) and a grade-separated interchange to improve traffic flow and enhance safety in the corridor. 

Background:

  • This Project will improve the rural transportation system and freight travel by reconstructing the 90-year-old roadway, adding capacity to address high crash rates, and reconfiguring intersections to address unsafe conditions. These improvements will vastly improve freight efficiency, improve rural safety, and strengthen rural access to economic opportunities. 
  • The existing US 212 roadway is currently at capacity and is identified as a future Congested Principal Arterial in the Metropolitan Council’s 2040 Regional Travel Demand Model. 
  • The Metropolitan Council expects Carver County to grow by over 60 percent by 2040, leading to further congestion and travel time concerns. It is likely that industrial and manufacturing land uses will continue to locate near the corridor, further increasing freight traffic on US 212. 
  • Reconstruction of this segment of roadway is key to ensuring freight facilities and transporters have a safe and efficient connection between rural and urban Minnesota communities.

Relevant Documents:

Letters of Support:

Request Address:

Carver County

11360 Highway 212

Suite 1

Cologne, MN 55332