County Highway 8 Corridor Study
Announcement (updated March 19th, 2013)
Scott County hosted an open house on March 18th to present the findings of the County Highway 8 study. Fifty residents signed-in at the event. See the newsletter and display boards for more information on the open house.
The next step will be to finalize a report that includes the findings and recommendations presented at the open house. The report will be the conclusion of this study process, and will be posted upon completion.
Project Overview
County Highway (CH) 8 is the only continuous east-west arterial serving central Scott County, extending over 15 miles from the Jordan/Belle Plaine area to I-35. The roadway is envisioned to ultimately serve as a principal arterial connecting US Highway 169 and I-35. Several segments of the highway east of State Trunk Highway (TH) 13 have pavement over 40 years old in need of major improvements or reconstruction. The roadway also has narrow shoulders, sharp curves, and no turn lanes at a number of intersections.
The purpose of the County Highway 8 Corridor Study is to define a vision for the roadway that incorporates long-term corridor preservation and near-term safety identification/improvements. The corridor study will identify issues and preliminary design alternatives, determine long-term right-of-way needs, explore access management, and recommend improvement projects for the next 5-15 years.
The study will cover the entire County Highway 8 corridor from the eastern county line to State Trunk Highway 21, and is expected to last around twelve months. A Study Management Team will be established consisting of County Staff, Township Officials, other agencies (MN/DOT, Dakota County), and interested citizens.
Study Goals
- Address existing and forecasted safety, capacity, and mobility needs;
- Define a vision for preservation of the corridor as a future principal arterial as identified in the Scott County 2030 Comprehensive Plan;
- Establish an access management plan to guide property development and identify supporting road network needs along the entire corridor;
- Determine future right-of-way needs for the entire corridor;
- Prepare preliminary design and geometrics from the county line to TH 13; and
- Recommend road improvement projects for the next 5-15 years.
Project Study Contacts