Highway 34 Construction Project Raises Concerns for Lake Country Scenic Byway

Recently, the Lake Country Scenic Byway, which stretches from Detroit Lakes to Park Rapids and all the way to Walker, has been a source of controversy due to a proposed construction project that would be taking place along Highway 34.

The project will take place along 21 miles of Highway 34, where the road will be repaved with improvements being made to culverts, along with tree removal, by far the biggest source of controversy.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is proposing the removal of trees and vegetation within 65 feet from both sides of the center line along a majority of the project to create a safe zone for drivers, as well as removing 50% of the trees roughly seven miles between Snellman and Osage with the other 50% of trees remaining out to 100 feet, in order to reduce shade on the highway. This will hopefully minimize the amount of ice on the road.

Most of the community pushback on the project comes from the removal of the trees themselves, as some community members would rather see the trees remain.

In an effort to answer frequently asked questions and address community concerns, MnDOT held an open house conference on Tuesday, and invited community members to talk directly to MnDOT officials and learn more about the project.

“What we’re trying to show tonight with our exhibits is the location of the tree removals, and how we feel they’re minimal and justified for safety purposes,” explained MnDOT project manager Joeb Oyster, “I mean, the reason we’re doing the tree removal is for the safety purposes, to make the roads safer for everyone traveling on it.”

But even with the open house, community members are still concerned that their voices aren’t being heard about misgivings they have about the project.

“To address the issues concerned about the trees, start it off with, not an open house, but an actual public meeting where all the information is presented and there’s an opportunity to hear from members from the public, in a way where we can hear each other and know we’re being heard by the appropriate MnDOT officials,” said Honor the Earth campaign coordinator Daniel Lakemacher.

Bid letting for the project is currently set for the end of October, but is subject to change. Should the project find a suitable bidder, the project will be scheduled for construction in 2023.