Lake County Chamber Focuses on Business Support During Highway 61 Reconstruction

With a major Minnesota Depart­ment of Transportation (MnDOT) project on the horizon for Two Har­bors, the Community Center hosted a September 23 meeting, the sec­ond this month in a public series designed to prepare residents and businesses for the work ahead.

Margie Nelson, Public Engage­ment for MnDOT, presented the phased construction plan for the Highway 61 Corridor project, which will take place over three years. In 2027, crews will begin work on two outer sections: from the south­ern end of the project up to 11th Street, and from 4th Street north to the project boundary. This phase includes building roundabouts and replacing utilities.

The central stretch, between 11th Street and 4th Street, is scheduled for reconstruction in 2028. During this period, MnDOT will maintain two crossings on Highway 61 to help preserve traffic flow and busi­ness access. The final year of work, in 2029, will focus on landscaping and finishing touches, with less dis­ruption for drivers.

Janelle Jones, President of the Lake County Chamber of Com­merce, said the meeting was well attended, with Representative Na­talie Zeleznikar, Senator Grant Hauschild, city council members, and MnDOT officials among those present.

“We’re looking forward to work­ing with the business community on creative ways to get the locals and the visitors still patronizing their businesses and getting through this. And we’re pretty confident we’re going to all get through it together, and it’s going to be fantastic when we’re done,” stated Jones.

Resources were also shared for local business owners, including the Northland Small Business De­velopment Center and the Entre­preneur Fund, which will provide consulting, training, and financial advising to help businesses navi­gate the construction period.

MnDOT emphasized its commit­ment to maintaining visibility and accessibility for businesses through coordinated signage and outreach.

Jones noted that additional meet­ings will be scheduled once the tourist season concludes. More in­formation about the Two Harbors Corridor Project is available at dot.state.mn.us.