Roundabouts and detours - oh my!

Road projects — specifically roundabouts — are a hot commodity in Crosslake and Nisswa.

So are detours.

Following are projects getting underway in both cities that motorists should be aware of, as well as a 2024 project in Crosslake.

Nisswa is getting its second roundabout.

Joining the roundabout on County Road 18 is another at the County State Aid Highway 77 and Nokomis Avenue intersection, which is at the entrance to Grand View Lodge.

That means CSAH 77 will be closed from the intersection with Highway 371 to Lower Roy Lake Road. Only local traffic and Grand View Lodge traffic will be allowed via a temporary road that will be constructed.

Contributed / Widseth engineering firm

CSAH 77 at the Nokomis intersection is scheduled to be closed May 15. A notification sign will alert motorists when the road will be closed. CSAH 77 is slated to reopen July 14.

The detour will take motorists north of Nisswa to CSAH 29, then west to CSAH 78, and then east to CSAH 77.

The project goal is to address the safety concerns at this intersection, which are especially problematic during the summer months.

The project includes sidewalks and pathways for pedestrians, bicyclists and golf carts as well.

For project updates and a planned live feed camera to see the construction, visit www.cityofnisswa.com or https://widseth.com/77roundabout/ .

Those traveling in the Crosslake area will soon be maneuvering through detours for a roundabout being built at the CSAHs 3 and 11 intersection (near Great Furniture Gallery) on the city’s southern side.

That single-lane roundabout project with pedestrian improvements and a lighting system is scheduled to be completed in July.

The intersection will be closed during construction.

Contributed / Crow Wing County

The detour route off County Road 11 will take motorists on CSAH 39 and County Road 120 to CSAH 3 into Crosslake.

The detour when coming north on CSAH 3 will take motorists on Ventura Lane to a temporary bypass past the project.

For continued information on this project and other county projects, visit https://www.crowwing.us/149/Current-Projects .

Looking ahead to 2024, a roundabout is the leading choice among engineers for the CSAHs 3 and 66 intersection, which is near the Crosslake Chamber of Commerce building and at the entrance to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation area.

A second open house was held Thursday, April 27, at Crosslake City Hall for people to view plans, ask questions and share thoughts.

Shown at the open house were two concepts for pedestrian improvements, as well as the intersection concept.

Basically, one pedestrian improvement concept keeps the limited number of on-street parking spots on the east side of CSAH 66, and the other removes parking on the east side to allow space for a boulevard.

Plans include continuous sidewalk/trail connections along the east side of CSAH 66 from CSAH 3 to Bald Eagle Trail (Lake Country Crafts and Cones) and on CSAH 3 from the CSAH 66 intersection to Pioneer Drive (Reed’s Market/Crosslake Ace Hardware).

The project will be part of the May 8 city council meeting and the May 16 Crow Wing County Board work session.

The county board will then consider adopting a preferred alternative project plan at its Tuesday, May 23, meeting.

This is a Crow Wing County project, in partnership with Crosslake.

The National Loon Center is scheduled to be built and open in the Corps of Engineers recreation area in 2024, which spurred the need for improvements in this area to handle access, parking and pedestrian needs.

The project objective is to create an intersection and corridor that is safe for pedestrians and motorists.

For continued information on this project, visit www.crosslake improvements.com .

Nancy Vogt, editor, may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.