Overview

Hwy 14 is a 4-lane highway from Mankato to Rochester, except the section of Hwy 14 from Interstate 35 to Highway 56. The proposed Hwy 14 improvement project will include reconstruction and capacity expansion as a rural 4-lane divided freeway. The proposed alignment is south of existing Hwy 14, paralleling the railroad corridor. Local system access will be provided with overpasses and interchanges. Total project corridor length is approximately 18 miles.

Map of Preferred Alternative

 

Location

• 1/2 miles East of I-35 to 1.75 miles West of Dodge Center

 

Schedule

• 2012 - Complete and Adopt Right of Way Mapping
• Final Design/Right of Way Acquisition/Construction – Dependent Upon Funding Availability
  

Cost

• $TBD

Highway 14 - Owatonna to Dodge Center Project Documents

 

Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)

An EIS has two parts, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and the FEIS. These documents discuss the environmental impacts of a proposed federal Class I action. It is a full disclosure, decision-making document, used for actions which may cause significant environmental impacts.
A decision to prepare an EIS is made either:

• After early coordination and studies indicate potential for significant impacts, or
• When review of comments received on a project's Environmental Assessment indicates potentially significant impacts.
  
  

Record of Decision (ROD)

A ROD is the federal environmental decision document, issued by FHWA, which explains the reasons for the project decision summarizes any mitigation measures that will be incorporated in the project, and documents any required Section 4(f) approval.

 

Adequacy Determination (AD)

The AD is the final environmental decision in the state environmental review program.  It is the determination which concludes the state process, and allows a major project to proceed to detail design, right of way acquisition, letting and construction.

 

The following documents are available at the Rochester District Headquarters

 

Scoping Document

The Scoping Document has been prepared as part of the federal NEPA process and specifically to fulfill state environmental review requirements. A Participating Agency Scoping meeting has been held in accordance with the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act:A legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).
The Scoping Document provides a discussion of:

• The need for and function of the proposed project
• Alternatives considered
• Potential SEE impacts
• Agencies and persons consulted during project review

The scoping process is used in the initial stages of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process to identify the purpose and need of the undertaking and the range of alternatives to be considered. The Scoping Document also defines the form and level of detail of the analysis to be conducted in the EIS along with the time table for preparation.

 

Access and Interchange Study Report

The purpose of this access and interchange location report is to document the process for determining the best interchange improvements associated with both the existing north alignment ( Alternative2) and the south bypass alignment (Alternative 3) being considered as part of the Trunk Highway 14 (Highway 14) Improvement Project.

 

DEIS

The DEIS provides information for governmental units, the project’s proposer, and other persons, in order to:

• Evaluate a proposed project which has the potential for significant environmental effects,
• Consider alternatives to the proposed project, and
• Explore methods for reducing adverse environmental effects.

The DEIS discusses purpose and need of the action, and all reasonable alternatives to the proposed action; it summarizes the studies, reviews, consultations, and coordination required by environmental laws and executive orders to the extent appropriate at this stage of the environmental process. In urban areas, alternatives considered must be developed in consultation with the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

County Road 6 Access Closure Analysis

The purpose of this study is to determine the traffic impacts to nearby intersections of the CR 6 access closure and to determine if improvements are needed at other locations to accommodate the shifted traffic from the closure of CR 6 at TH 14. 

 

Highway 14 Final EIS - Noise Analysis

The objective of the noise analysis was to further quantify the potential impacts of the preferred alternative using a more detailed model that considers a specific alignment, locations of receptors, and topography of the area. The results of this modeling were then used to determine the cost reasonableness and feasibility of using noise walls to provide mitigation for the project’s impacts on receptors.

 

Hwy 14 Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) Report

The ICE Report has been prepared to provide a technical, systematic method of determining the optimal acceptable traffic control for an intersection. Intersection controls such as signalization, two-way stop control, all-way stop control and round-a-bouts may be looked at. To select the best option, an Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) must be performed to compare viable alternatives.  The Hwy 14 ICE report studied the intersections of:

• CR 45/Hwy 14 Interchange
• CR 43/Hwy 14 Interchange
• CR 3/Hwy 14 Interchange
• Hwy 56/ Hwy 14 Interchange