Cass County Board Chair Jeff Peterson and County Engineer David Enblom met recently with Rep. James Oberstar, House transportation committee chair, to explain the county's proposed road improvement. He said their presentation was well received.

Current federal highway legislation runs out Sept. 30, 2009. New federal legislation is expected to be passed on or before that date for future federal highway funding programs.

Cass will apply for funding under that new cycle next year.

Until approved, the county will not know which year the funds will be allocated.

If authorized, the federal funds would pay for 80 percent of improving 9 miles of CSAH 1 between CSAH 24 and 15. State aid money would pay the 20 percent local match.

Before that phase, Enblom has scheduled improving CSAH 1 with state aid funding from Pine River 5.6 miles south to County Road 114 in 2010 and the section running north 3.8 miles from CSAH 34 to CSAH 15 in 2011. The 4.7-mile section running north from Pillager to CSAH 34 was improved in 1997.

The final phase will be improving the 6.4-mile section from CSAH 24 to 28.

The bridge over Mayo Creek would be replaced to permit carrying heavier loads.

In addition to improving the road surface, the CSAH 1 road rebuilding will include widening shoulders to 6 feet and cutting hills to improve site distance at intersections with cross roads. Curves will be made more gradual.

Pine River to get streetlight at Hwy. 84 and CSAH 44

Design Electrical Contractors Inc. was the successful low bidder to install streetlights for $89,970 at high traffic intersections in the county as a part of a safety improvement program.

The lights will be operational by Aug. 15.

Locations include the intersections of CSAH 77 and 18 in East Gull Lake; CSAH 44 and Highway 84 east of Pine River; Highway 371 and CSAH 45 (Pleasant Lake Road), 6 (Lower Ten Mile Lake Road) and 50 (Upper Ten Mile Lake Road) near Hackensack; and six locations surrounding Cass Lake.