Site work and paving for a road / highway in Baxter, Minnesota. Conceptual plans call for site work for a road / highway; and for paving for a road / highway.

https://www.pineandlakes.com/news/local/headline-6 Public weighs in on 371/210 overpass option Two sessions of open houses on Feb. 12 allowed people to provide feedback and see the five alternatives for the new Highway 371/210 intersection in greater detail. BAXTER — The size, scope and elevation of the new Highway 371 overpass may be hard to visualize, especially without three-dimensional models. What is clear is it will change how the main transportation arteries work, transform how local traffic flows and alter how those visiting the Brainerd lakes area will view the city as they come through the Baxter gateway. About 110 people saw in more detail the five design finalists for the project at two Minnesota Department of Transportation open houses Wednesday, Feb. 12, at MnDOT district headquarters in Baxter. For those who couldn’t attend one of sessions, there is still time to provide feedback on the designs and to examine each one, assisted by a six-minute video to understand how the plans will change a dominant corner for commerce and transportation in Baxter. The five designs Eighteen options were whittled down to five alternative designs for the Highway 371 and Highway 210 interchange. The project elevates Highway 371 over the BNSF Railway tracks and over Highway 210. The options for how motorists get on and off Highway 371 and access Highway 210 changes considerably between designs. MnDOT is looking at moving vehicles through while considering safety, local access, the effect on local businesses and access for pedestrians, bicyclists and even snowmobiles that now run parallel to Highway 210. Project managers have said this is one of the most challenging projects they’ve seen based on all the variables and the height clearance needed over the railroad tracks. A tiny car sits on a model of a Diverging Diamond Interchange on a table of maps with people in the background. A model of a Diverging Diamond Interchange with a table full of design maps, along with displays around the room all provided information on the $58 million Highway 371/210 project slated for construction in 2028-2029. The displays were part of open house sessions Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, at the Minnesota Department of Transportation offices in Baxter.Renee Richardson / Brainerd Dispatch While engineers can see the goal of keeping traffic moving through Baxter as motorists travel Highway 371 to access points farther north, businesses that invested along the corridor and create the Highway 371 commerce strip can be more in favor of an intersection that slows traffic down enough where motorists can see them and make a decision to access them for fuel, groceries, meals and retail. For the city of Baxter, which plan is picked could make a major difference on whether local businesses can continue to thrive and contribute to the tax base and how visitors contribute to the sales tax. With all five designs, Highway 371 would go over the railroad and Highway 210, and Elder Drive access to Highway 210 would be closed. Buttonhook design shown on a map The buttonhook provides alternative routes parallel to Highway 371. The Elder Drive intersection on Highway 210 would be closed as would Golf Course Drive. Signal lights on Highway 210 could be roundabouts instead. Contributed / MnDOT The Buttonhook The buttonhook to frontage road interchange would provide alternative roadways parallel to Highway 371 using roundabouts so local traffic could access the areas around the new interchange without ever going on Highway 371. Highway 371 would go over Highway 210 and the railroad tracks and Excelsior Road. The design shows two signal lights where the buttonhook connects to Highway 210, but an alternative has those signal lights as roundabouts instead. Traffic would not stop on Highway 371 as there would not be signal lights there. With the buttonhook, the access off Highway 371 to Design Road remains as does the full access to the Cypress Drive intersection by SuperOne Foods. The Golf Course Drive intersection would be closed. The problematic Elder Drive intersection, which has been a challenging intersection for years, would be closed as would the access to Fairview on the other side of Highway 210. Instead, a new intersection at Foley Road to the west of Elder would provide a route to access the business area south of Highway 210, such as Costco. Map showing how the Quadrant Interchange would fit. The Quadrant Interchange would include roundabouts at the Design Road intersection providing more access to the businesses like Cub Foods and a host of restaurants and the Holiday Station as well as retail stores and future Essentia Health options as the former Camping World site is redeveloped for health care. Contributed / MnDOT The Quadrant Intersection This design takes up less space. Highway 371 goes over the railroad, Highway 210 and Excelsior Road. Four slow-speed ramps connect Highway 371 with Highway 210 at intersections with signal lights. Traffic would not stop on Highway 371. The design would allow roundabout connections at Design Road. The design would close the Golf Course Drive access to Highway 210 and would close the Elder Drive intersection in favor of a new intersection farther west at Foley Road. The folded diamond interchange is laid over the map to show how it would work. There would be two signal lights at the end of the ramps on Highway 210. This design closes Elder Drive in favor of a new Foley Road intersection and closes Golf Course Drive access on Highway 210.Contributed / MnDOT Folded Diamond Interchange This design is also called a partial cloverleaf and some ramps loop instead of going straight. Highway 371 would go over the railroad and Highway 210 and Excelsior Road. There would be two slow-speed loop ramps and two fast diagonal ramps to move vehicles on and off the highway. Highway 371 would have no stoplights. There would be two signal lights at the end of the ramps on Highway 210. This design closes Design Road access. Elder Drive would be closed in favor of a new Foley Road intersection and it closes Golf Course Drive access on Highway 210. A diverging diamond design is overlaid on the map of the Highway 371/210 intersection With the Diverging Diamond design, there is crossover traffic on the bridge as Highway 371 rises over the railway and Highway 210.Contributed / MnDOT Diverging Diamond Interchange With the Diverging Diamond design, there is crossover traffic on the bridge as Highway 371 rises over the railway and Highway 210. Highway 210 traffic would flow without stopping underneath. Traffic briefly switches sides on the overpass so drivers can turn left without crossing other traffic. There would be a bridge over Excelsior Road as well. Ramps would allow traffic to go from Highway 371 to Highway 210. The fourth leg of the existing roundabout by the Holiday Station and convenience store off Excelsior could be completed. Golf Course Drive access to Highway 210 would be closed as would Elder Drive and Foley Road. Traffic going east on Highway 210 from Highway 371 would not be able to go north on Cypress Drive. Engineers said the Diverging Diamond design handles left turning traffic well. People may be familiar with it from the one in St. Cloud. Single Point Urban Interchange is overlaid on the map. The Single Point Urban Interchange could include a signal light option. It would mean traffic coming on Highway 210 from the west would not be able to make a left turn onto the Cypress Drive intersection because of the length of the ramps to access the overpass. Elder Drive access onto Highway 210 would be closed as would Golf Course Drive. MnDOT notes instead of building a bridge at Excelsior Road, this plan would use a traffic signal. Excelsior Road would have to be raised 8 feet to make this option work.Contributed / MnDOT Single Point Interchange The bridge on Highway 371 would go over the railroad, Highway 210 and Excelsior Road. Ramps would provide access to get on and off Highway 371. Highway 210 traffic would flow underneath with no stoplights. MnDOT notes instead of building a bridge at Excelsior Road, this plan would use a traffic signal. Excelsior Road would have to be raised 8 feet to make this option work. Traffic on Highway 210 would not be able to go north on Cypress Drive. Foley Road and Elder Drive would no longer be connected to Highway 210. Provide feedback, see the video - To see the video, learn more about the project and provide feedback on an online survey, go to https://tinyurl.com/phy7r7uv . People can provide feedback via the survey until Feb. 21. A model of a diverging diamond interchange design as seen overhead with a tiny car to show how it works A model shows what a Diverging Diamond Interchange at the open house on Wednesday, Feb. 12, provides a view from above complete with tiny car. Courtesy of Brad Chapulis Project schedule The open houses and online survey are collecting feedback for this phase of the project. Next steps call for the preferred route to be selected in the spring or summer. Another open house is planned then and city consent will be sought. Work on the final design is expected from 2026 to 2028. Construction would be from 2028 to 2029. Feedback from the open house Questions from people attending the open house included how people will get around during construction and where the detours will be to keep access. Some of those attending expressed liking the Buttonhook option. Multiple comments noted each design solves one issue but raises others and it’s hard to envision what this will look like on a flat map, noting even roundabouts on the buttonhook design will be elevated. A lot has changed in this area in a relatively short time. When Cub Foods was built along Highway 371 there were still cornfields in the area and few businesses beyond Walmart, and the famed Paul Bunyan amusement park sat on the corner of highways 371 and 210. Advertisement Chris Quisberg, president S&R Quisberg Inc. with Cub Foods, said they do prefer the roundabouts and keeping the Design Road access. The quadrant design requires motorists do to more backtracking, which they may not be as willing to do. Chris Quisberg said the designs need to consider the effect on local businesses in that area. “Those are the last ones you want to hurt,” he said. “... We’ll see what they come up with in the spring.” Tim Bray points Jamie Lee to a display at the open house Crow Wing County Engineer points to a Minnesota Department of Transportation display during an open house for the Highway 371 overpass project.Renee Richardson / Brainerd Dispatch Construction over two years will also be challenging for local businesses and will come in a much longer stretch of construction for the area that could encompass as much as five to seven years with other projects nearby. Long disruptions could mean shoppers find alternate routes and alternate places to do business instead of venturing into the area. David Quisberg, owner of the Holiday Station convenience store near the intersection, said there will be challenges even for motorists to see the station with the elevation and designs would limit the ability to grow in the future. “We are going to be hurt from this no matter what,” David Quisberg said. Baxter City Council member Patrick Sundberg was interested in seeing more on how pedestrian access would be maintained. Baxter Council member Connie Lyscio said her initial reaction was more in favor of the buttonhook design. “The more people we have looking and sharing their opinion the better,” she said at the open house. “It’s nice to see so many people here already.” People could leave sticky notes on the maps with questions or concerns. Baxter Mayor Darrel Olson attended as did Crow Wing County Board members Steve Barrows, Jon Lubke and Jamie Lee along with staff members from Baxter and the county. Lee said it will be interesting to see how MnDOT solves the problems as none of the designs solve them all. Ken Hansen, MnDOT, said each design had their pros and cons. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ **coc4**: Mn 371, From College Rd to Design Dr and Mn 210 From Forthun Rd to Cypress Dr , Construct Insection Improvements in the City of Baxter Work type : Maj Const Mile : 1.9 Route : MN 371 As of May 16 2025 , the project is in Final planning status. Anticipated Fiscal year is 2028. MNDOT- Construct Insection Improvements - MN 371 *Project information has been obtained through a public state transportation improvement plan (STIP). A STIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the STIP often evolves based on funding availability. The project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available.