The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has prepared a Tier I Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a new Minnesota River Crossing to connect US Highway 169 and new US 212 in the vicinity of TH 41. Mn/DOT is working with local governmental units, the Metropolitan Council, state and federal resource agencies and other interested parties to study the need for and potential impacts of this project. This Web site has been developed to provide information and updates and to provide an opportunity for public feedback as the studies progress.

Mn/DOT and FHWA recommend future Highway 41 river crossing corridor

December 10, 2008

ROSEVILLE, Minn. —The Federal Highway Administration and the Minnesota Department of Transportation have released plans to complete a Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement for a future Highway 41 crossing of the Minnesota River near Shakopee and Chaska.

Known as “C-2,” the proposed river crossing corridor was selected from six alternatives that the FHWA and Mn/DOT studied in the Draft EIS. This corridor would connect to both Highway 169 near its existing Highway 41 intersection and to the new Highway 212 near its intersection with Carver County Highway 11.  

The Tier 1 Final EIS is a planning study done to select the corridor location in advance of having construction funding, allowing the agencies to preserve the corridor and minimize new development and future impacts.  

The purpose of the proposed project is to meet future regional traffic demands, alleviate congestion in downtown Chaska and provide a flood-protected river crossing in the southwest metropolitan area. While construction of this new river crossing is not in Mn/DOT’s current 20-year plan, completion of the Tier 1 EIS process is an important first step in preserving a corridor for the time when construction funding is available.

Numerous social and environmental resources exist in the study area. Among them a national wildlife refuge, state park, sensitive wetlands, historic properties, businesses and residential neighborhoods including several manufactured home parks. FHWA and Mn/DOT, using Draft EIS impacts results and stakeholder input, determined that the C-2 corridor was the best opportunity to balance impacts among resources and secure future permitting for construction.

However, because C-2 poses numerous impact challenges, FHWA and Mn/DOT intend to continue working with local, state and federal agencies to refine the C-2 corridor in order to further minimize negative impacts to residents, historic properties and natural resources. This corridor refinement effort will start in early 2009 to inform the Tier 1 Final EIS. Detailed design will be done during the Tier 2 EIS process closer of time of construction and will offer additional opportunities to minimize impacts. The Tier 2 EIS will consider options for bridge type, interchange configurations and other roadway details and commit to specific mitigation for negative effects of the project.

December 2008 Study Advisory Committee Meeting

The TH 41 Study Advisory Committee (SAC) met December 9, 2008 to discuss the Mn/DOT FHWA recommended preferred alternative. View the meeting presentation here.

This website will be updated as more information becomes available.  If you have any specific questions, please call Diane Langenbach, the Mn/DOT project manager, at 651-234-7721 or email her at diane.langenbach@dot.state.mn.us.