Join us at our biweekly "Coffee & Conversation" meetings, designed to provide brief updates on the project and to allow time for questions and answers about the project. Next meeting:
Tuesday, July 9 at 2 p.m.
MnDOT Virginia Office, 101 Hoover Road, Virginia
Economic study kick-off and business-specific meetings
Economic study kick-off
Wednesday, June 19,
10 a.m. to noon
Mountain Iron Community Center
8586 Enterprise Drive South, Mountain Iron
Business-specific meetings
Many thanks to the Laurentian Chamber of Commerce for assistance in organizing these meetings.
Retail and food services
Tuesday, June 18, 2 p.m.
Virginia Elks Club, 218 North 5th Avenue in Virginia
Lodging, recreation and tourism
Wednesday, June 19, 4 p.m.
Virginia Elks Club, 218 North 5th Avenue in Virginia
Business to business
Thursday, June 20, 10:30 a.m.
Virginia Elks Club, 218 North 5th Avenue in Virginia
About this project
This is a proposed project to abandon Hwy 53 in the area of the United Taconite mine expansion and reconstruct in a new location. The scoping process has been reopened.
Background
Hwy 53 between Duluth and International Falls is a major transportation corridor serving northeastern Minnesota.
Since 1960, portions of Hwy 53 in St. Louis County were located on land owned by mining companies. The highway is located on these lands through easement rights.
The current mining companies, United Taconite and RGGS Land and Minerals, now need access to the land the highway is located on to continue their mining operations.
In accordance with the 1960 agreement provisions, United Taconite and RGGS Land and Minerals have given MnDOT notice that they will be terminating the easement rights for the portion of Hwy 53 that is located between approximately Hwy 135 and 2nd Avenue in Virginia.
The 1960 agreement required the highway to be moved within three years of receiving the termination notice but United Taconite and RGGS Land and Minerals have stated they would allow up to seven years for the move to occur.
MnDOT is required to relocate the highway outside of the planned mining area by spring 2017 so that United Taconite can begin mining under the current roadway.
Risks
Unknown funding sources/lack of funding
Community impacts and social acceptance of new route
Impact of new route on mining operations
Possibility that the highway will need to be relocated again in the future
Short, aggressive time line for relocating the highway
