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2026 Legislative PrioritiesThe City of Lake Elmo <br />County Highway 10,17 & 17B Intersection Improvements <br />Washington County, in partnership with the City of Lake Elmo, is planning an improvement project <br />for the intersection of Highway 10 (10th Street North), County Highway 17 (Lake Elmo Avenue <br />North), and County Road 17B (Lake Elmo Avenue North). Construction of the new Lake Elmo <br />Elementary School is scheduled to open in the fall of 2026. This will generate additional vehicle and <br />pedestrian traffic at this intersection. A temporary traffic signal will be operational by the time <br />school starts, but further investment is needed for a long-term solution. Currently, there are no <br />sidewalks or trails. Proper infrastructure is key to ensuring pedestrian safety, including that of <br />children walking or biking to school. Washington County is requesting $2 million in state funds. <br />Washington County has planned to contribute $1.75 million, and the City of Lake Elmo has planned <br />to contribute $400,000 to this project. The City of Lake Elmo requests the state’s support in funding <br />this project. <br />State Highway 36 Lake Elmo Avenue Project - Additional Frontage Road <br />The purpose of the project is to improve vehicle safety, mobility, and bikeability/walkability in the <br />area around the TH 36 and Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH 17) intersection, covering about 1.1 miles. TH <br />36 is a National Highway System (NHS) route and a four-lane expressway. It serves as a vital <br />transportation link between the Twin Cities urban core, the east metro, and the Wisconsin border <br />at Stillwater. Since the opening of the St. Croix Crossing bridge in 2017, traffic volumes on TH 36 <br />have increased by 20 percent, and traffic demand is forecast to exceed the capacity of the at-grade <br />intersection. In the project area, TH 36 serves as the border between two cities: Grant on the north <br />and Lake Elmo on the south. Lake Elmo Avenue is a two-lane County State-Aid Highway (CSAH 17) <br />that provides access to commercial and residential areas within Lake Elmo and Grant. The study <br />intersection has a high crash rate for a high-volume, high-speed intersection, with a critical crash <br />index of 1.37. An index above 1.0 indicates a safety need. The percentage of rear-end crashes is <br />almost three times the statewide average. Pedestrian/bicycle movements across TH 36 are not <br />allowed, but when people do cross at the intersection or walk along TH 36, they are using a facility <br />rated at a failing level of service (LOS F).