Thursday, March 13, 2025

Lunch Buffet

At

 

Historic Preservationist

 

Dennis is retired from USBank and currently serves local community as a volunteer and activist. Duluth is a great place to live and work, to keep it this way, give of your time, talents and resources

 

 

Kitchi Gammi Club

May 8

5:00 p.m.

 

 

Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
By Anthony Nordan

 

Our meeting began with President-Elect Zach Walters ringing the Rotary Bell. We proceeded to recite the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the Rotary 4 Way Test.

 

President-Elect Zach Walters

 

Past Assistant Governor Phil Strom delivered our reflection for the day. His reflection was on the upcoming Lunar Eclipse. There are many myths and stories that surround the “Blood Moon” phenomenon that will start in the early hours of March 14^th. One of those stories is how Christopher Colombus used this event to get the natives of Jamaica to provide provisions until the next Spanish ship arrived. A tribe in Benin, Africa, sees the lunar eclipse as a period of battle between the sun and the moon. There is a Norse legend about a monster that swallows up the moon and stains the skies red.

 

Past Assistant Governor Phil Strom

 

There were no self-reports today. As a reminder, all the self-report funds go towards the fundraising committee (writer note: Don’t forget to sign up for committee assignments if you haven’t already).

 

We had a few announcements today:

• The Annual Rotary “Gala” Auction is May 8^th. Held at the Kitch, there will be heavy appetizers, a cash bar, a live auction, and a raffle.

 

Past President Chana Stocke seeking donated items of any size for the Gala

 

• Rotary Breakfast is Friday, March 21, at 7:30am.  Let President Elizabeth Simoson (esimonso@umn.edu) know you are attending.

 

• We want to thank all the volunteers who helped at the Food Bank. Jim Schwartz, Bob Reichert, Jerry Pelofske, Ruth Westra, and Past President Chana Stocke.

 

• We had several guests joining us today. Judy Sage, LuAnne, Erica, John, and Wayne.

 

Our speaker, Margie Nelson, from the MN Department of Transportation (MnDOT). At the beginning of the presentation there was some joking that we should feel free to contact Margie multiple times a day with road issues we see on our travels. After this joke though Margie did say that if we have concerns that she is open to e-mails and phone calls. The presentation was a mix of information and open forum for questions.

 

Margie Nelson

 

Duluth is situated inside of Minnesota Department of Transportation District 1. This district is almost as large as the 8^th Congressional District. Our district was the first in the United States to name their snowplows. MnDOT recently purchased a new snowplow and it has received its name Skol Plow. This snowplow takes care of one of the bridges heading to and from Superior, WI. (Take that Packers!)

 

MnDOT making progress

 

In 2025 there are construction programs planned throughout the year. They are expecting to spend $117 million to work on 8 bridges, Hwy 53 improvements, resurfaces to Hwy 2, Hwy 165, and 200, and construct a roundabout in Hill City.

There are plans throughout different areas of District 1. They are as listed:

Northshore

Replace 6 culverts

Replace lighting in Silver Creek and Lafayette Tunnel Hwy 61

South

Year 2 of the Hinckley Project

Replace 3 culverts on Hwy 2 near Proctor

Duluth

Bridge work on I35 Mesaba and 5^th Ave W

Twin Ports Interchange

Final Year

Finish Hwy 53 bridge

Connect I35, Hwy 53, and I535

 

Minnesota Department of Transportation has a long-term plan as well that extends out up to a decade. Coming up in the next few years are:

2025 Mesaba Ave

Replace the bridge

Replace the pedestrian bridge

2026-2027

Roundabouts at 26^th and 40^th Ave East

Enhance intersections

Large configuration

Sidewalk replacement

Blatnik Bridge

The project is ongoing

It has a timeline of 2023-2031

It is looking to cost 1.815 Billion

Zipper Merging

MnDOT is trying to teach people to zipper merge

Do not feel bad about zipper merging

Do not merge early

It is proven to improve traffic flow by 40% if people zipper merge properly

Zipper Merge makes for a better flow of traffic

 

The members of Rotary were given 20 minutes to ask questions after the main part of the presentation ended. One of the things that Margie brought up was her information to contact her.

Margie.Nelson@state.mn.us 218-390-4604

Questions

There is a lot of travel between Duluth and Superior. Are there any plans in that regard

They are working on the Blatnik Bridge

A MnDOT presenter coming to Rotary soon will be able to provide more details on that project

60th Ave roundabout is not happening. Why?

Political will is not there.

MnDOT and Duluth Leadership need to agree and work together.

Duluth Leadership didn’t allow for the 60^th Ave Roundabout.

Tiles of the Tunnel Wall

Funding is the reason they were not replaced

The look of the tunnel can impact tourism

The tiles are no longer produced so they can’t be replaced by the exact tiles.

This means to replace tiles they would all need to be replaced.

Lafayette Tunnel

There are plans to work on this tunnel.

To provide it better lights

26^th Ave and Superior St

Will there be lights or stop signs?

Magie was not sure. She would have to get back to us in that regard.

Potholes

If you see a pothole, please tell MnDOT.

That way they can add it to the list to fix

Rice Lake Rd

That is a St. Louis County job.

MnDOT is not responsible for that roadway

Hwy 53 Trinity Rd

It is scheduled for 2028

It is a part of the 10-year plan

How are materials picked for roadways?

Depends on the needs of the construction

There is a guide out there to help with those decisions

Taconite in the roads

We use a little bit of it.

Gas Tax and Electric Vehicles

We pay tax on gas to help with roads. Are there any plans to tax electric vehicles to make up for that loss in tax in gas?

Margie didn’t know. 

 

The presentation ended around 12:58. Vice President Zach Walters asked our presenter to pick the 50/50 winner. Andy Thielen won the draw and was awarded $44. The winning ticket was 820966.

 

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