Overview

 

Location

• In St. Louis County between Eveleth and Virginia. The proposed project is to abandon Hwy 53 in the area of the United Taconite mine expansion and reconstruct in a new location.

• The affected area is about one mile.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

If you have a question that is not answered on this website, send it to Roberta Dwyer or Beth Petrowske.

 

Why is the Hwy 53 realignment being planned?
MnDOT does not own the property the highway is located on; it is there by highway easement rights granted by US Steel in 1960. On May 5, 2010, Cliffs Natural Resources and RGGS (land owner), the successors to US Steel, provided notice to MnDOT that Hwy 53 easement rights across the United Taconite Mine would be terminated.

What is the current status of the project and what are next steps?
The Scoping Decision Document was published in September 2012 which narrowed the alternatives to two build and two no-build. These four alternatives are being carried forward into a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) which will be published in later-winter 2013. Public feedback, including a public hearing, ultimately results in decisions about which alternative(s) should be studied in more detail in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and those alternatives that should not be considered any further. The EIS studies include preliminary design development and evaluation, including assessment of potential social, economic and environmental impacts and proposed mitigation. The EIS process, which is anticipated to be completed in 2014, results in identification of a preferred alternative that will be carried forward into final design.

How will community input be provided?
MnDOT is providing a variety of opportunities for community input:

• Public open houses and public hearings will be held at key milestones during the project to allow public input as part of MnDOT’s decision-making process.
• A Project Advisory Committee (PAC) has been formed with a variety of community and agency leaders to represent the public interest. The PAC will meet over the course of the project.
• MnDOT also plans for small group meetings to discuss specific topics (for example, business or recreational trail impact meetings with stakeholder representatives).
• Roberta Dwyer is MnDOT’s project manager. She may be contacted directly to provide your input or questions. Roberta can be reached at (218) 725-2781 or roberta.dwyer@state.mn.us.

Is moving the highway more expensive than buying the land under the current Hwy 53 alignment?
Based on preliminary studies conducted by MnDOT using publicly available data about mine operations and local geology, MnDOT currently believes the economic value of the iron ore bodies underneath Hwy 53 is substantially greater than the cost of building a new Hwy 53 alignment.

Why are four alternatives being studied?
The federal NEPA process requires that all build and no –build alternatives be addressed in the EIS. All four alternatives have environmental, social and economic advantages and disadvantages that are being studied as part of the EIS process.

Does iron ore resources exist underneath the Midway Area?
The Midway Area does not sit above iron ore resources; no relocations of Midway Area residential or business properties are expected as a result of mine operations.

Why did MnDOT consider a West Corridor Alternative?
As part of the early investigation of project alternatives, the west corridor offered the opportunity to locate Hwy 53 where no iron ore bodies exist. This would eliminate the potential for needing to relocate Hwy 53 again in the future due to mining operations. Because of the issues and concerns, which include bypassing Eveleth and the resulting detrimental impact to businesses as well as the potential for more impacts to the natural environment, MnDOT has recommended no further study of West Corridor alternatives.

Will the Mesabi Trail be impacted and what is the future of the trail system?
The majority of the trail system is on lands owned by RGGS. It is likely that the trail will require relocation due to future mining. No decisions on the relocation of the trail can be made until the selection of a new route for Hwy 53 is complete.

What will happen to the city of Virginia’s water supply if the E-2 Route is selected?

The city’s water supply will be unaffected by the relocation of Hwy 53. If the E-2 Route is selected, the pit will be bridged and all runoff collected. No water or debris from the roadway would be allowed to enter the pit.

Will my property be acquired for the relocation of Hwy 53?
The current alternatives are conceptual to allow for early comparison of potential impacts during the Scoping phase of this project. MnDOT is not able to determine whether properties will be acquired with this level of information. As part of the EIS process, the most promising alternatives will be developed with more engineering detail to help identify more precisely the potential impacts, including potential property acquisitions.

How can I stay informed of project progress?
MnDOT’s public involvement website will continue to provide project information updates. When visiting the project website, look for the “Email Updates for this project” link at the bottom of the home page to register for MnDOT’s automated email distribution system. Once registered, MnDOT will send emails to you when new project information or news is available.