“There’s a lot of traffic volume there,” said Joe MacPherson from the Anoka County Transportation Department. “The volume of traffic that’s on highway 10 right now is equivalent to what you see on I-94 just north of Maple Grove.”
Approximately 80,000 cars and trucks use the east-west concrete ribbon every day.
The steady stream of vehicles is why Anoka County and MnDOT are going to add a third lane in both directions on US 10 between Hanson and Round Lake Boulevard in Coon Rapids. This news comes while the ginormous US 10 road construction project is happening in Anoka and Ramsey continues.
“This will make a big difference, not only for public safety but for the environment,” said Anoka County Commissioner Scott Schulte. “Less cars idling, sitting, waiting and certainly people’s quality of life. Getting back home, not having to sit in that commuting traffic for as long as they have to.”
$30 million tab
Funding for this future project is being doled out by MnDOT through corridors of commerce money.
“The money’s all in place for our highway 10 projects for now,” Schlulte said.
The tab is $30 million and construction starts in 2025 or 2026.
“It’s a competition,” Schulte said.” People fill out applications for the projects and then MnDOT divvy’s those projects out accordingly. The whole idea is to improve the corridors for commerce. Hence the name of the project, to bring in more economic development and move freight and traffic to the area safer, faster and more efficiently.”
Another Twin Cities beltway
Growth has been explosive in the North Metro as traffic has increased. US 10 is becoming another Twin Cities beltway.
“Highway 10 is not only a commuter corridor, it’s also a tourism corridor,” MacPherson said. “As far as the beltway, I could definitely see if that corridor continues to expand, evolve and develop, definitely that could turn into something more like another beltway – almost like a 694 through the Twin Cities.”
The genesis to add lane capacity to US 10 goes back years.
“Over the last seven years we’ve been working on highway 10, but the roots of these projects go way way back,” MacPherson said. “They go back two or three decades…It’s been a long time coming. I’m really excited to see it. I know the community’s really excited to see it.”
“We’re thrilled that highway 10 will be, pardon the pun, in our rear view mirror here soon,” Schulte said. “We will have a safe corridor that the people of Anoka County can be proud of.”
Anoka County teams up with MnDOT
Anoka County was proactive in making a pitch to MnDOT. The county knew they could not get this project done by simply hoping and wishing things get better.
“If we can partner with them and use our local resources, we know these projects will happen,” Schulte said. “If we step back and say hey, ‘highway 10’s a MnDOT problem, it’s not our problem.’ It likely will be everybody’s problem for decades to come.”
The caveat, of course, is this means more road construction on US 10.
“There’s definitely some construction fatigue,” MacPherspon said. ” We’re seeing that. I think the key part of that in trying to keep it successful is clear communication and an understanding of why these projects are taking place. If we can all get to the goal line and see what’s at the finish line we’re all going to enjoy it.”
When US 10 and Minnesota 65 are finally finished, traffic will flow much smoother in the North Metro. MacPherson says it will be a “utopia.”
