(Spirit Lake)– Dickinson county wants to see Highways nine and 71 extended to four lanes on the east edge of Spirit Lake east from where the four lanes currently leave off to what’s known as the “high crossing road” or County Road M-56.
County Engineer Dan Eckert says it would help with sight distance problems in that area.
However Eckert cautioned the county may have to pay for the project, which has an estimated cost of 110-thousand dollars. Discussions will be held with the city of Spirit Lake to see if they would be willing to pay a portion of it, since most of it lies within city limits.
The project would be done in 2005…at the same time the highway is re-surfaced from Vick’s Corner east through Spirit Lake.
The city of Spirit Lake is also proposing some enhancements to the highway, which it would have to pay for. Ideas being tossed around include expanding it to five lanes between Peoria and Zenith Avenues and construction of a pedestrian/snowmobile tunnel under the highway near the East Okoboji bridge.
