The start of a road construction project on Highway 42 in Sister Bay has been delayed for a year. According to a joint statement issued by the DOT & the village, the project will now begin in the summer of 2015 & last through the spring of 2016. The delay to the state’s road project is due, in part, to the need for further investigation of the highway right of way width between Mill Road & Scandia Road. The extra width requires additional purchase of park lands using land & water conservation dollars. As part of the requirements of funding through the program, impacts to the park are required to be converted, or re-established, before the purchase of the land & construction can proceed. This generally takes 9 to 12 months. The DOT is coordinating with the Department of Natural Resources & the National Park Service to satisfy those requirements which will not impact the project design.
While there has been a change in the timetable for the Highway 42 project in Sister Bay, sanitary & water system upgrades planned by the village will go on as scheduled. At present, the village is in the process of obtaining utility easements from property owners. The work is expected to begin this fall & be completed in May of 2014. The village will also bury overhead utility lines through the downtown & waterfront areas. The schedule for that work is set for the spring of next year, pending additional coordination with private utility companies. During the work done by the village, Highway 42 will be repaired with asphalt & sidewalks restored as an interim fix with the utility project until roadway construction occurs.
