Engagement summary and study area needs

In fall 2024, the Hwy 8 study team gathered public feedback on existing conditions along Hwy 8 from Chisago City to Taylors Falls. We hosted an in-person public meeting, attended three community events in the study area and facilitated stakeholder meetings. We also had an online comment map for people who were not able to attend our in-person events.

At the in-person events, a map of the study area was used to discuss conditions and document concerns. The online comment map allowed participants to share comments and concerns for specific issues. During the initial engagement phase, we identified 167 site-specific comments and concerns, including:

• Vehicle safety concerns: 47 comments
• Challenging access points: 27 comments
• Walking safety concerns: 20 comments
• Biking/rolling safety concerns: 5 comments
• Positive comments/what's working well: comments 4
• Destinations traveled to: 1 comment
• Freight/truck safety concerns: 1 comment
• Other: 60 comments

At the in-person events the study team also asked about top concerns for traveling on Hwy 8. Participants used 10 marbles to identify their top concerns. More than 130 people participated. The results were:

• Difficulty turning on/off Hwy 8: 224 marbles
• Peak-hour traffic issues: 176 marbles
• Vehicle speeds: 158 marbles
• Safer Hwy 8 crossings for pedestrians, bicyclists and other wheeled users: 149 marbles
• Safer biking options: 127 marbles
• Safer Hwy 8 crossings for drivers: 101 marbles
• Safer walking or rolling options: 81 marbles
• Pavement conditions: 79 marbles
• Sightline/visibility issues: 68 marbles
• Lighting: 50 marbles

The study team also engaged with local agencies and partners, including representatives from Chisago County: Chisago City; Lindstrom; Center City; Shafer; Taylors Falls; Chisago Lake, Shafer and Franconia townships; Chisago Lakes School District; East Central Regional Development Commission; Chisago Lakes Chamber and the Highway 8 Task Force. The agencies and partners also discussed conditions and shared their concerns.

Input from these discussions and engagement opportunities will be used to develop ideas for improvement, which will be shared with the community for additional feedback during a second engagement phase in summer 2025.

Study area needs

We also conducted an analysis of the existing conditions of Hwy 8 which included gathering and analyzing existing community plans, traffic counts, crash history and road operations. Based on the analysis and public input, we identified the following needs for the study area:

• Walkability/bikeability:
  • It is difficult for pedestrians and bicyclists to safely cross Hwy 8.
  • Traveling along Hwy 8 is difficult for pedestrians and bicyclists due to gaps in the trail network.
• Vehicle safety:
  • The study area has crash rates that exceed the statewide averages.
• Vehicle mobility:
  • Hwy 8 is an important route for campers, large vehicles and freight. The MnDOT Metro District Freight Plan has identified this highway as needing safety improvements.
  • Longer wait times at side streets in the future due to anticipated traffic increases.
  • Over half of the study area was noted to have denser driveway spacing than what is typical on MnDOT roads.
• Environmental considerations:
  • Many lakes, wetlands and floodplains are located throughout the study area, which could be impacted by road construction.

Get involved

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