The US Highway 212 Project in Dahlgren Township will ease traffic and freight congestion and address growing safety concerns on approximately 5-miles of US Highway 212 in Dahlgren Township.

US Highway 212 serves as the backbone for commerce between Southwest Minnesota, South Dakota and the Twin Cities. The facility provides highway freight mobility and connectivity for 22,000 square miles of southwestern Minnesota and South Dakota that is currently not served by the Interstate System or freeways.  Highway 212 is a significant and critical arterial road for the local community and a regional connector, linking southwest Minnesota to the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. This project completes the 4-lane expansion between the Cities of Cologne to Carver and provides safety and capacity enhancements.

Purpose & Evaluations

Carver County, in partnership with Dahlgren Township and MnDOT, are working together to identify and implement transportation system improvements to Highway 212.  The overall objective of the project includes approximately 5-miles of safety and capacity improvements along Highway 212 between Highway 36 on east side of the City of Cologne to Highway 11 (Jonathan Carver Parkway) in the City of Carver. The project includes reconstruction and some realignment of the highway from a two-lane undivided to a four-lane divided highway. On the both ends, the highway will connect to the existing four-lane divided highway segments, completing a ‘gap’ in the safety and mobility in the highway corridor.

As part of the project, a number of technical evaluations will be conducted to identify existing and future issues associated with:

  • Mobility/Congestion
  • Safety
  • Freight Connectivity and Agricultural Mobility
  • Infrastructure Needs

Goals & Objectives

  • Establishing the goals and objectives for the corridor
  • Defining the issues and potential opportunities along the corridor
  • Developing and evaluating potential infrastructure improvement alternatives
  • Reaching consensus on recommendations
  • Developing and implementing a construction improvement plan

Current Traffic Impacts

This project is in the design phase. No traffic impacts at this time.

What to Expect

This project is in the design phase. No upcoming activities.

Community Impacts

This project is in the design phase. No community impacts at this time.

Maps & Detour Routes

Highway 212 Layout 

Anticipated Project Schedule

It is anticipated that construction could occur in 2022, however, the exact schedule has not yet been determined.

Reports & Documents

Environmental Assessment (2009)

Project Overview Report (2010)

Project Layout - July 2010

Highway 212 Official Map

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