(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson county board of supervisors today (Tues.) voted unanimously to approve an agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation pertaining to the re-building of a 4.5 mile stretch of Highway 86 between Highway 9 and the Minnesota border.
The agreement allows the D.O.T to purchase right-of-way on behalf of the county, at the state’s expense. County Engineer Dan Eckert says the state needs additional right-of-way to realign side road connections in areas where the grade of the Highway will be changed. Part of the project involves lowering some steep hills to improve safety and visibility.
Eckert added it was crucial the county approve the agreement now as the D.O.T is already in the process of purchasing right-of-way for the project, which will include widening the roadway, changing the grade of the road in some areas, and bypassing a series of sharp curves at the state line.
