Transportation

Starting on Tuesday, April 29, the exit taper on westbound Highway 212 at Highway 41 will be extended further east to facilitate access for concrete paving trucks.

This extension will last for approximately four weeks, weather permitting, according to a Highway 212 project press release.

Governor Tim Pawlenty today appointed Tom Sorel as Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

Sorel will replace Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, a former Chaska farmer, city councilor and state representative. The State Senate voted to not reconfirm Molnau as commissioner earlier this year.

Sorel currently heads the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) division office in Minnesota, according to a Governor’s Office press release.

A new Highway 41 Minnesota River crossing may still be decades away, but what if the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) chose the central option? What would happen to downtown Chaska? How would it look? How would it feel? How would it sound?

Although none of the options for a future Highway 41 Minnesota River crossing have been taken off the table as yet, Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) staff now admits that central option C-2 was once their preferred alternative and remains a top contender.

After we ran the story "Love/hate relationship: New 212 garners praise and grumbles" in January, we received a number of letters and comments from readers debating the right way to merge.

New Highway 212 will open ahead of schedule.

According to Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Project Manager Charles Cadenhead, contractor Zumbro River Constructors (ZRC) has indicated that it plans to have the entire highway open by July. The project was initially slated to wrap up in September.

The Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) station located at 418 Pine Street in Chaska will close on April 25 for a remodeling project that is expected to last about six months, according to a Department of Public Safety press release.

Nearby exam stations at Hutchinson, Glencoe, Eagan, Plymouth and Anoka will serve customers who need road tests while the Chaska station is closed. Knowledge (written) exams are also available at the Midtown station in Minneapolis.

Many drivers glide through and onto their destination with ease. But for others, the roundabout in the heart of Chaska’s Clover Ridge neighborhood is a foreign and curious sight.