MnDOT, city of Mahnomen and White Earth Nation to host June 12 public open house for Hwy 59 pedestrian study
DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation, city of Mahnomen and White Earth Nation invite the public to an open house on Thurs., June 12, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., to provide feedback on the Highway 59 pedestrian study. The open house will be held at the Mahnomen Fire Department, located at 124 S. Main St., in Mahnomen.
There will be no formal presentation, the public can stop in whenever it’s convenient between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Project representatives will have three alternatives on display to review, ask questions and give feedback.
For those unable to attend in-person, visit the study website to view the three alternatives and provide feedback on a preferred option, which will be available for comments as of June 2 through June 30, 2025.
MnDOT plans to evaluate these safety improvements for potential future funding. MnDOT would like to hear from the public, including residents of the city of Mahnomen and members of the White Earth Tribal Nation to help select the best option for safety.
The study area starts at the southern edge of the city of Mahnomen and goes to its northern limits on Highway 59. The study’s focus is the safety and ease of movement for people walking and biking along and across Highway 59. MnDOT is working in partnership with representatives from the White Earth Tribal Nation, Mahnomen County and city of Mahnomen.
A recurring theme in these previous studies was the identification of a critical need for safety improvements for people who walk or bike at several intersections along Highway 59. These intersections include Jefferson Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Adams Avenue, as well as the intersection of Highway 59 and Highway 200. The previous studies suggested a variety of safety treatments and improvements along Highway 59 and recommended creating dedicated walking and biking facilities.
Some of the safety upgrades have already been completed. The Mahnomen Safe Routes to School Engineering Study, which was completed in 2021, proposed adding and upgrading safety features for people who walk. Recommendations from this study were constructed on trails connecting to Highway 59 starting in the summer of 2023 and were completed in 2024.
For more information about the study and to take the survey, please visit the study website at mndot.gov/d4/projects/hwy59mahnomen/.
MnDOT invites and encourages participation by all. If you need an ASL, foreign language interpreter, or other reasonable accommodation, or need documents in an alternative format (such as braille or large print), please email your request to Janet Miller at ADArequest@state.mn.us or call 651-366-4720.
For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
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