Dakota County CSAH 32 Project Awarded ACEC-MN Honor Award

Dakota County’s CSAH 32 Improvements project was awarded a 2024 ACEC-MN Engineering Excellence Honor Award last Friday, February 23 at the Engineering Excellence Awards Gala. Projects recognized are the best in the state and highlight their uniqueness, future value to the engineering profession, enhanced public awareness, economic and sustainable development consideration, complexity, and successful fulfillment of client/owner needs. 

Dakota County wanted to improve corridor safety and vehicle/pedestrian mobility by reconstructing CSAH 32 near Lebanon Hills Regional Park in the City of Eagan. The existing roadway had concerns related to vehicle speeds, high truck volumes, lack of pedestrian facilities, and vehicles passing on shoulders and in turn lanes. The corridor bisects a highly biodiverse landlocked wetland complex that is host to a variety of wildlife, creating additional safety concerns for commuters.

Bolton & Menk led Dakota County project partners through a thorough public involvement and informed preliminary and final design process to arrive at a sustainable solution fully supported by all stakeholders. This complex project converted the vehicle-centric, two-lane undivided rural corridor to a two-lane divided urban typical section with multiuse trails. It implemented access management at each intersection, a roundabout at Dodd Road, wildlife crossing and animal fencing, and traffic signal improvements at Lexington Avenue.

The project overall contained many complex elements to establish a best-fit design through the environmentally sensitive constraints imposed by Lebanon Hills Regional Park and area wetlands. Dakota County’s residents and travelers can now enjoy the safer roadway and pedestrian facilities.

Learn more about our dedication to transportation improvements in the Twin Cities Metro and beyond!