Bass Lake Road Construction Continues

It’s shaping up to be another busy road construction season in Maple Grove. 

With projects going on around Highway 610,  Devil’s Triangle and Bass Lake Road, residents will see a lot of construction cones as they weave their way through the city this summer. 

“This is a big year for the city,” Traffic Engineer Marc Culver said.  “We have been fortunate to get some federal funding for many of the projects that are currently underway.”

One of those projects, the realignment of Bass Lake Road, is causing some headaches for residents. The plan is to turn one of the main roads through Maple Grove into a four lane street with upgraded turning lanes and safer intersections from Vicksburg Lane to County Road 101. 

“Bass Lake Road is an integral part of our transportation system,” Culver said.  “We’ve seen a lot of growth in that area and the roadway needs to catch up with that growth.”

The project is being done in two phases. Crews worked along the Maple Grove and Corcoran border to straighten roads in the area and have now moved on to phase two which includes work west of the Interstate 494 and Bass Lake Road intersection.

“Construction is never fun to deal with on a daily basis,” Helen Hastings said. The Maple Grove resident drives through the construction to get to and from work.  “It is frustrating but I’m hoping this is short term pain for long term gain.”

Like many residents living in the area, Hastings is anxiously waiting for a new and improved Bass Lake Road to become a fast moving four lane road.

“I’ve watched this area spring to life,” she said. “I’ve lived in the area for 20 years and the growth around our home has been insane to watch.”

Hastings will have to wait a little while longer for the project to wrap up, it’s scheduled for completion at the end of next year. In the meantime, crews will tackle a major piece of the project, building two bridges over Elm Creek.

“The ground around the creek is in rough shape,” Culver said. “It’s so wet that it is cheaper for us to build bridges above it rather than pay the money to excavate and treat the soil below it.”

As crews work through this season, residents will get a break in the near future.  Culver says once this project wraps up in 2012, the city doesn’t have any major road projects lined up for the next few years.

For now, residents will have to deal with the hassles that come with construction.

“Completion of this project will greatly enhance our city,” Culver said.  “We just ask our residents for some extra patience to get the job done.”