Commuters of Scott County rejoice! After years of delays, funding is
in place to fix the traffic-clogged intersection of Highway 169 and
Interstate 494.

The regional Transportation Advisory Board on Wednesday gave the green light by voting for a funding package that includes the final $34 million needed to make the redesign happen. 

"This concludes a year-long battle and debate that led to great success," announced Scott County Commissioner Jon Ulrich of Savage in an e-mail to community leaders. 

Shannon Fiecke of the Shakopee Valley News reports:

Having lost out on the last batch of federal stimulus dollars, the next best shot for the Interstate Highway 494 and Highway 169 interchange will come Wednesday at a meeting of an important, but little-publicized advisory board.

The interchange failed to get funding last month from the federal highway department through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant.

A weekend after Twin Cities TV stations blabbed the bad news to the world, Jordan Public Works Director Dave Bendzick offered a different, more reassuring message:

"If you listen to the news, you'd swear that Jordan was going to flood, and that Jordan was going to be gone," he told the city council Monday. "The Minnesota River will not cause Jordan to flood."

A press release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources:

When the spring thaw signals wet, soft trail conditions, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) temporarily closes some state forest roads and trails to vehicle traffic. Those closures are expected to begin in the next few weeks.

The department urges forest users to check on trail conditions and temporary road and trail closures before planning trips.

Ten years ago, Bobby and Steve's Auto World was coming to Jordan.

Read more about the proposed truck stop and more of Jordan's history in the
Looking Back column published in the March 11 print edition of the
Jordan Independent.

A press release from the Minnesota Department of Transportation:

Motorists may experience delays in both directions of Interstate 494 near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, as well as on westbound Highway 5, due to shoulder closures as crews install temporary signs along the roadways on March 2-3.

Leah Shaffer of the Eden Prairie News reports:

One way or another, this could be the year to see action on plans to reconstruct the interchange at Interstate Highway 494 and Highway 169.

Depending on what funding sources come together, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) could be awarding bids to contractors as early as late May, according to Michael Beer, project manager at the state agency. Construction could even start later this year or in early 2011.

The Shakopee Valley News reports:

Snowmobilers, hikers and others using Shakopee’s recreational trail system will encounter a bridge closure and intermittent trail closures as the Holmes Street pedestrian bridge, just west of County Road 101 in Shakopee, closed for repairs and historic preservation on earlier this month.

The bridge, which is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, will remain closed through Sept. 17.

A group from the Scott County Association for Leadership and Efficiency (SCALE) will be traveling to Washington on Feb. 24 to lobby for funding for Highway 13 corridor improvements.

"The efforts of SCALE and being engaged has really helped, along with the delegation to Washington," said Scott County Public Works Director Lezlie Vermillion at a recent SCALE meeting. "This roadway is bigger than just one city, and Washington is recognizing that."