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It’s been a long road for the College Drive project to become a reality.
That project officially became a reality Friday when Brainerd city officials sponsored a ribbon-cutting on College Drive in front of Central Lakes College (CLC) to honor the completion of the project.
Brainerd City Engineer Jeff Hulsether said officials spent five years discussing the College Drive project. The project consists of three roundabouts and stretches from South Fourth Street near Brainerd High School to Mississippi River Parkway, a block east of Crow Wing County Road 48 in Baxter. The project involved reconstructing College Drive from a two-lane to a four-lane roadway and includes two traffic signals, drainage, retaining walls and sidewalk and trail improvements.
The ceremony conducted before the ribbon-cutting was held in the Business and Industry Center at CLC. In attendance were Brainerd Mayor James Wallin; Brainerd council members Mary Koep, Lucy Nesheim, Bonnie Cumberland and Dale Parks; Baxter Mayor Darrel Olson; Ron Bray, of WSB & Associates of Minneapolis, who was project engineer of the project; and staff from Anderson Brothers Construction. Anderson Brothers was the project manager of the project.
At the ceremony officials thanked all who were involved in the extensive project. Hulsether said the project was a collaboration between many entities and everyone, including Baxter, Crow Wing County, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, CLC and the Brainerd School District all worked together on the project.
“This has been quite the project,” said Hulsether. “... and now it is open to traffic. It’s looking great.”
Hulsether said the project is officially complete, except for a few minor items such as landscaping, which includes the planting of 260 trees which will be done later in the spring. Hulsether said he is pleased that the project finished on schedule, despite the rainy season.
With all the rain, Bray said that Anderson Brothers did a wonderful job in making sure the job stayed on task and that the rain didn’t cause more problems. Bray expects vehicle traffic to grow significantly on College Drive.
Wallin said seeing the bridge complete is nostalgic, as he remembered 30-some years ago when the area around College Drive was mainly sand and people would get stuck. Wallin said later on, a bituminous surface was installed. Wallin said the College Drive project also reminds him of when the city reconstructed the Laurel Street bridge. He recalls then Mayor C. Elmer Anderson and Council President Jiggs Blanck driving across the bridge waving.
“This is so exciting,” said Wallin. “There are 15,000 people a day going through this road and I think it’ll increase by 200-300 people a day. It was a lot of money but it will last for years.”
CLC President Larry Lundblad said there were some trying times through the summer getting students to and from the college because of the construction, but overall the project improves the safety of the students and pedestrians.
Nesheim said council members called the College Drive project “perseverance.” Nesheim said it was a great project and a lot of work was put into it. She said council members met monthly for two years to make sure safety was the first priority.
“This road is important to the future,” said Nesheim. “And I want to thank you and everyone involved who made this happen.”
■ A few tips for motorists driving the roundabout include:
• Choose the correct lane approaching the roundabout. Left lane is for left-turners, right lane is for right-turners. The through movement can be made from both lanes.
• Yield to vehicles in the circulating lanes (note, there may be more than one circulating lane). Yield does not mean merge. When you see a gap, you may enter the roundabout.
• Do not stop in the circulating lane. Do not change lanes within the circle.
• If an emergency vehicle is near and you are within the circulatory lanes, continue through the roundabout and pull over once you exit the roundabout provided there is adequate space for the emergency vehicle to pass you.
• All traffic should travel counter-clockwise through the roundabout.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl.
Comments (61)
Add commentAnd the first accident was
And the first accident was when.
Best video ever by Dispatch
of a quick trip around the roundabouts!
Do some...Observing...Adapting...
Just like when you were years younger, and the training wheels on the bikes were groovy...
Update your Skills...
Update your Groovy...
Drivers Training is an Always Thing...
Never a Forgot This Thing...
Enjoy a Lil bit of Europe...England...Other Regions where Roundabouts are accepted...
The Land of Ya...U...Betcha can adapt as well...
Progress...
Moving Forward...
BTW...I never forgot my Ya Betcha...
My children now appreciate this lingo and are proud of it...
My Families 1992 Chevrolet G20 Conversion Van...
Loved the Roundy...
During MEA Week 2012...
Now at over 183,000 miles...
350 Cubic Inches of American V8 Power...
As I've shared, a larger version of the Chevrolet Corvette...
- Fuel Injectection
- Glass Pack Muffler
- Complete Brakes and Tires replacement March 2012...
...
For Hot Rodders...
Fuel Injection was a high priced option in the later 1950s...
...
Now part of the package in the new rigs...
I'm loving the new rig...
Ya know...
I didn't think they were a good idea, but now I love them! Everytime I go through there I go around each one 3 - 4 times just to confuse people (like I even need to do that) and watch in amazement as newbies try to figure them out. Let the good times roll!
Hilarious, Wolfg1. Don't let on that you're having fun,
though. Someone might start treating it like a carnival ride, and set up a toll road for frequent "spinners".
Bubba's jealous,
because they don't have any in Duluth.
Anyone...
Want to join me? Tomorrow I am going to grab a lawn chair and a six-pack, sit in the middle of one of them, and watch the action.
Who said there isn't any action in Brainerd...
I am jealous, FNB, but not because I'm from Duluth
(where'd that come from? I live in Morrison Co.) I'm jealous because I have to rake leaves tomorrow, and have to miss the Wolfgang's tailgate party. What a hoot.
I thought you wanted Cravaack
to come to Duluth the other day?
Watch it wolf,
some nasty women may show up to stick a camera in your face!
Now, now FNB, play nice! This is a fun, non-political subject.
Don't go and ruin the fun by being a fuddy-duddy!!
But, yes, FNB, since you bring it up, Cong. Cravaack should most definitely conduct a 2-hr. townhall meeting in Duluth (w/o the tired, old power point stuff). That meeting should be free and open to the public (and there should be no one at the door checking for cell phone/cameras or being the attire-police.) The Congressman should stand up proudly and boldly in front of his constituents and take questions (and maybe even stay until the last question has been asked). If he gets a rude or inappropriate question, he should answer it straightforwardly, and put the issue to rest. These events, when handled expertly, have a way of self-editing the "crazies" in the room. Most questions from constituents would be sincere and they deserve an attentive, interested response from the Congressman.
And, since you bring it up, FNB, does anyone know when that meeting is going to occur (in the largest city in Cong. C's district?) He owes this meeting to his constituents if he would like to be considered for another term in office.
Avoiding the subject, Bubba?
You said a lot last week. Sorry for your loss but I lost my Mom and Dad too. Remember the libs call me stalker when all I do is connect the dots that posters leave on here.
Avoiding what subject, FNB?
I agreed with you -- I asked that Cravaack make a one and only appearance (if that's all he can spare this year) at a free and open-to-gen'l-public town hall type meeting in Duluth. You are correct on that, without a doubt. It's not required that one live in Duluth to see the justified nature of such a meeting. It is the largest population center in Cong. Cravaack's district, and he should pay 'em all a "howdy-do". That's all.
Re: your other point, I never really follow the back and forth stuff between folks on this site who seem to have an "inside baseball" kind of link. I don't follow, and I don't particularly care about the minutia of those interactions. (and I give them all a thumbs down if they stray too far off of the topic at hand. If youre a straight shooter in your interactions with me, I'll pay you the same respect.
Hey, I am a straight shooter.
I only referred to your angst that Cravaack hadn't come to Duluth so you could see what he had to say. That is how you said it. Like you didn't get your chance to be with him in person. I am sure that's what you said, but I'm not going to go back and look it up. If you're not from Duluth, statements like that are just as bad as the one that that hack that sent the phoney complaint in about Joe Ranger.
At this point, because Cravaack has had so few open, advertised-
in-advance type events, I would certainly make an effort to attend any public event in any location. If I found out on a Monday that the Cong. was going to have a real town hall meeting in Duluth at the end of the week, I'd try to make it. The main point is that many people throughout the District 8 area have complained about little advance notice for open, public meetings (regardless of where they might be held). I'm not sure, but that may have been some of the frustration that some folks were expressing at the Arboretum event. By the way, do you know if that event was advertised in BDD as open to all constituents? or was it a closed campaign event? No one seems to know (or care to share the answer).
That's because
some looney libs decided to try and disrupt the meeting. i guess they are afraid their candidate of choice can't win unless they cause a nasty legal problem. I want to know who that fat lady was so I can express my appreciation of her stupidity and ask her who really put her up to that display of stupidity.
I suppose the guvnor had enough security that the left didn't have to worry that night. But wait..... the left didn't have to worry at all that night! BECAUSE the Right wouldn't stoop to that low level of behavior. but then the Right isn't in a panic like you libs are.
Sorry Bubba, if you hang out with nasty people you smell nasty too.
From the Oct 17 Dispatch
"■ Cravaack to meet with voters Saturday at arboretum
BAXTER — Rep. Chip Cravaack, R-Minn., will be at Northland Arboretum in Baxter from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 20) meeting with voters.
Questions about this campaign appearance may be directed to Page Wigren at 831-4086 or by email at xlakedoc@aol.com.
Northland Arboretum is in Baxter just north of the Mann movie theater across Excelsior Road. "
Sounds public to me, bubba. It doesn't say it is confined to Cravaack supporters.
Public maybe southie but,
not one where hecklers can hide in bathrooms and be in costumes and assault people with cameras to the face. Which one were you?
I actually think
that women that would dress stupid and hang tea bags etc to go and protest a political meeting are acting like little children and need to be sent to their rooms for a while. Hiding in the bathroom to ambush a US Representative? That should bring criminal charges. Snow is hiding out lately but I bet her name comes up if there is a true investigation and not just a liberal coverup. After all people can vote illegally in CWC.
In the real world
Meanwhile, the DesMoines Register has endorsed Mitt Romney.
Again, FNB, I'm at a loss as to what "nasty people" I am
supposedly "hanging out" with? (You don't know me, and you certainly don't know with whom I "hang out".) I wasn't in MN when this occurred, so I obviously wasn't at Cravaack's get together. However, given the above notice (thanks, Twilight), it appears I should have had every right to be there if it had fit into my schedule. If this was, indeed, a public event, no one should have been banned at the door. Cong. Cravaack is a competent adult who can handle himself just fine in front of unscreened group of constituents. His handlers don't do him any favors when they sully his events with their overzealous policing. People in costumes or with cameras have gone to political events for decades, and capable candidates go with the flow and make the best of it.
Now, back to the real topic. Wolfie, if there's gonna be music, I'm tempted to ditch raking. Crank up a rousing chorus of "The Little 'Old Lady From Pasadena" or that old classic "I'm So Dizzy (My Head is Spinning)" for the circle drivers!
Bubba,
if you endorse that behavior, you are hanging out with those loonies. Those women were trying to intimidate those people so in actuality they were "Stalking" them. I believe they were coached by those that screech about stalking on here.
Will it be Black Panthers with clubs next?
I'm betting Twilight was the one with the camera...
...in other words, the one with the highest risk for being charged with harassment. When I heard from eyewitnesses that these "comrades in crime" all had pink cameras, I knew what they were dealing with--Code Pink. One of them was a well known "peace protester" (not the abusive one with the camera, IOWs, the one who thought her first amendment rights included the right to invade another person's personal space). I can't wait to hear what the results of the charges are, because I fully expect counter charges to be filed if they aren't dropped. Then we'll know who's who on the Brainerd Dispatch!
Too much speculation, unfounded assumptions, and
"inside baseball" for moi. "See" you on another topic soon!
NY Times endorses President Obama
This is such a great paragraph about Romney from the NYT's endorsement of Obama today. The editors of the Des Moines Register should really go and read The Times.
“Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, has gotten this far with a guile that allows him to say whatever he thinks an audience wants to hear. But he has tied himself to the ultracon-servative forces that control the Republican Party and embraced their policies, including reckless budget cuts and 30-year-old, discredited trickle-down ideas. Voters may still be confused about Mr. Romney’s true identity, but they know the Republican Party, and a Romney administration would reflect its agenda. Mr. Romney’s choice of Representative Paul Ryan as his running mate says volumes about that. “
It's assumptions are based on the evidence, Bubba...
...and I actually have been made privy to some first hand accounts that you have not. All you need to know is that there were multiple pink cameras being used by this invading hoard of agitators to understand that this group is almost certainly associated with Code Pink (What are chances of multiple unrelated people having pink cameras?). I highly recommend you read up on the ambush tactics of Code Pink to verify that this sort of thing is right up their alley.
Bet you $10,000, Meuhl,
LOL!
I guess we'll see when the charges are filed against this little
...band of co-conspirators. There appears clear evidence that there was a conspiracy to disrupt a lawful assembly. In case you were unaware, people have been convicted of this in the past. Just remember Twi, anything you post can and will be used against you in a court of law!
I guess we will see
in today's Duluth Tribune.
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/248010/
Will the Dispatch interview these women?
You are a stitch, meuhlbauer. Apology accepted in advance for your false accusation.