Trunk Highway 8

Momentum is building for getting critical improvements to the Highway 8 corridor. Over the summer a series of public engagement events were held along the corridor to gather feedback on issues, concerns, and ideas for the roadway. Five events were held, including four pop-up workshops and an open house. These events drew thousands of comments from over 300 people.
The clear messages gathered from these events was that the roadway is unsafe and there are mobility concerns. After evaluating community feedback and technical analysis, the project team, led by Chisago County, will be developing initial concept alternatives that address these community concerns. Another round of public engagement is anticipated to begin in December.

Project Background
	Highway 8 is an important interregional corridor that serves a variety of transportation needs. It is vital to sustaining local commerce and energizing future economic growth and vitality.

	In recent years, Highway 8 has become increasingly strained due to high levels of daily commuters, large trucks hauling freight, and spikes in weekend recreational traffic.
	A proliferation of secondary roads and private driveways provide direct access to and from Highway 8 which contribute to safety and mobility issues.
	There have been a number a serious crashes in recent years, including 4 fatalities.

We're Working to Improve Highway 8

Chisago County is leading a project to get moving on identifying a long-term solution to improve safety and mobility along US Highway 8 from I-35 in Forest Lake to Karmel Avenue in Chisago County.
The first phase of this project will analyze a variety of alternatives along the corridor to address safety and mobility issues, while taking pedestrian and bicyclist needs into consideration.
The project will also explore the addition of pedestrian curb ramps, crosswalks, and a multi-use trail.