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Trunk Highway 8
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Scroll down to the News Flash Category and look for Trunk Highway 8 Project Updates. You can receive notices via either email and/or text messages.
Project Updates and Field Activities
The Highway 8 Project continues to progress. Chisago County has been successful in identifying nearly half of the funding needed to construct the project and continues to seek additional funding sources. Preliminary roadway plans are currently in the final review and approval process, and environmental documentation is being developed. Final design and right-of-way acquisition should commence later this year. To better inform these processes, field work will need to be conducted this year as follows:
2022 Planned Field Activities
- Soil borings will be collected in the project area adjacent to the Highway 8 corridor. You may see drilling rigs alongside various roadways and on some private properties.
- In addition, supplemental wetland delineations, and potential soil contamination investigations will be completed on private property.
- In each of these cases, letters will be sent to individual property owners requesting access to the property.
- Project Background
- We're working to improve Highway 8
- Project Limits
- Project Timeline
- Project Update
- Approved Preliminary Layouts
- FAQs
- Open House Summary
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Chisago County is leading a project to identity a long-term solution to improve safety and mobility along U.S. Highway 8 from I-35 in Forest Lake to Karmel Avenue in Chisago County. The project team is looking at a few options for a new corridor design, which needs to address safety and mobility issues, while taking pedestrian and bicyclist needs into consideration.
Next Steps
- Complete wetland delineations and soil conditions analysis.
- Complete environmental review and documentation process.
- Transition from preliminary design into final design.
- Initiate right-of-way process.
Chisago City Approved Preliminary Layouts
Chisago City Side Road Layout 1
Chisago City Side Road Layout 2
Chisago City Side Road Layout 3
City of Wyoming Approved Preliminary Layouts
City of Wyoming Side Road Layout 1
City of Wyoming Side Road Layout 2
MNDOT Trunk Highway 8 Approved Preliminary Layouts
Trunk Highway 8 Final Approved Layout 1
Trunk Highway 8 Final Approved Layout 2
Trunk Highway 8 Final Approved Layout 3
Trunk Highway 8 Final Approved Layout 4
FAQs - Natural Environment
FAQs - Public Involvement
FAQs - Right-of-Way
- Will all or parts of my property along Highway 8 need to be acquired? if so, how will I be contacted?
- Will there be any assessments to my property? FAQs - Right-of-Way FAQs - Right-of-Way
FAQs - Safety and Mobility
- How do motorists use Highway 8 today?
- What challenges or concerns have been identified along Highway 8?
- What types of safety improvements are being considered along Highway 8?
- How will access be "managed" along the corridor?
- What is a "median" and what benefits could it provide to Highway 8?
- Will I lose my driveway access to Highway 8?
- Will additional travel lanes be added to Highway 8?
- What additional accommodations will be made for pedestrians and bicyclists?
- Are roundabouts part of the solution?
- What are Reduced Conflict Intersections (RCI) and how do they work?
- Are roundabouts part of the solution?
- What are Reduced Conflict Intersections (RCI) and how do they work?
Visit 2021 Online Open House

Online Open House - 2020
In April of 2020, an online open house was provided for the public to review and comment on. the online open house featured a video, project layout information, and an opportunity to provide public comment on materials. The online open house received 286 views and a total of 35 comments. In addition 49 new people signed up for project email updates.
Overview:
Chisago County's Trunk Highway (TH8) Reconstruction Project hosted its second open house on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at Lord of the Lakes Lutheran Church in Forest Lake. The open house was well attended by more than 100 area residents. Project staff hosted the event to share project progress, communicate how alternatives were evaluated, and to keep up the momentum for this important project. The large turnout and input received from attendees demonstrated the substantial interest in seeing this project continue to move forward.
What We've Heard: View Open House 2 Boards (PDF)
- General concerns regarding access and safety on Trunk Highway 8 and associated side streets.
- General questions regarding the projects expected timeline.
- "Consider the addition of an access road from Deer Garden Lane to Karmen Avenue."
- "Consider the inclusion of an underground culvert for bicycle and pedestrian use at the intersection of Trunk Highway 8 and County Highway 23."
- "I love the 4-lane separated highway concept. Consolidating access points should also make a big difference."
- "Please don't use Reduced Conflict Intersections (RCI). They don't seem practical for this project."
- "Please consider the seasonal businesses along this road project like mine when you are scheduling road closures."
- "Love it! Appreciate the safety aspect. Hopefully less noisy rumble strips."
- "I am very concerned about the noise impact as well as impacts to the lakes."
Contact
For more information on this project, please visit our website where you can sign up for project updates, or contact Joe K. Triplett, PE, County Engineer.
Phone: 651-213-8700
Email Joe Triplett
313 N Main Street
Room 400
Center City, MN 55012
Project Partners
Chisago County
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Washington County