The project currently is scheduled to begin in 2018 from Nisswa to Jenkins, and in 2029 from Jenkins to Pine River. The counties-cities partnership hopes to receive federal money in 2010 to move the 16-mile four-lane expansion project up to 2012 from Nisswa to Jenkins and 2014 from Jenkins to Pine River.

The $100.8 million is 80 percent of the estimated total project cost.

Due to lack of funding, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has had to continually move back the start date of the expansion project.

Funding in the next federal authorization bill for 2010-16 is being sought to move up the project for safety and cost reasons.

It's projected construction costs would grow from the current $126 million estimate to $170 million if the project wasn't started until 2018.

Regarding safety, the current highway expansion plans would place a stoplight at the new County Road 11-Highway 371 intersection in Pequot Lakes, east of downtown.

The application for federal funds proposes an interchange/overpass at that location, for better safety as traffic volume is projected to increase. The application also includes streetscaping and other infrastructure improvements to local roadways along the corridor, including enhancements to County Road 11 in downtown Pequot Lakes.

A project brochure was created for the Highway 371 project that highlights project goals and information gathered from MnDOT. It says that in the 16 years before the four-lane expansion between Little Falls and Brainerd, 26 people were killed on Highway 371.

Since the four-lane expansion, no fatal crashes have occurred.

On Highway 371 between Nisswa and Pine River, 20 people were killed between 1986 and 2008.

That includes two fatalities and six incapacitating injuries in Nisswa; two fatalities between Nisswa and Pequot Lakes; three fatalities and 10 incapacitating injuries in Pequot Lakes; three fatalities and two incapacitating injuries from Jenkins to Pequot Lakes; five fatalities and three incapacitating injuries in Jenkins; five fatalities and five incapacitating injuries from Jenkins to Pine River; and three incapacitating injuries in Pine River.

Tim Houle, city engineer with Widseth, Smith, Nolting, told the Pequot Lakes City Council at a Highway 371 work session April 14 that in his experience seeking federal funding, projects are most successful when communities band together.

He also warned the council not to expect a quick answer after the application is submitted by April 27. It could take a year or longer to hear any news.

"Highway 371 happens to be in Congressman Jim Oberstar's district, and Congressman Oberstar does hold some powerful seats in Congress in different committees," Houle said.

"It can be successful; it can assist local communities," he said of the federal funding application. "It is a process, though. Don't expect to hear back in the near future."

The Pequot Lakes Highway 371 Subcommittee, which originally was formed to study an alternate four-lane route east of downtown Pequot Lakes, expanded to include representation from the county, Nisswa, Jenkins and Pine River for this federal funding request process.

That subcommittee worked with Lyndon Robjent, Crow Wing County engineer, and Melissa Samuelson from Oberstar's office. The subcommittee's work resulted in Robjent helping develop the four-page brochure on the highway expansion project to submit with the federal funding request.

Also at the April 15 Pequot Lakes meeting, Tim Bray of MnDOT explained the municipal consent process to the city council. Each city council along the Highway 371 corridor where expansion is planned must give municipal consent for MnDOT to proceed with the project within that city.

No city along the route has yet given municipal consent. Before each city does so, it must hold a public hearing.