Road Work: MnDOT's Highway 36/Hilton Trail Project Underway

Despite a late-season winter snow storm, MnDOT crews began working on the $13.8 million Highway 36/Hilton Trail improvement project on Monday.

Work on the project—taking place between I-694 and just east of Demontreville Trail North in Lake Elmo, Pine Springs and Grant—will include replacing the Highway 36/Hilton Trail signalized intersection with a grade-separated diamond interchange.

The Highway 36/Demontreville Trail intersection will also be converted to a ¾ intersection, and a reduced conflict intersection will be built just east of the intersection.

The median crossing at the Highlands Trail intersection will be closed, and the north frontage road (60th Street) will be extended over the Gateway Trail.

Drivers should not notice any major traffic impacts from the project until April, MnDOT Spokesperson Cara Chandler said.

According to MnDOT:

“This project will improve safety and efficiency on Highway 36, Hilton Trail, Highlands Trail and Demontreville Trail, while reducing the amount of through-traffic traveling through residential areas.”

The majority of the project is expected to be complete by mid-November.  Project clean-up and remaining restoration and maintenance work may carry over into spring 2014.

RELATED:Hilton Trail Renumbered to Head Off Confusion Before Construction Starts in 2013

Read more about reduced-conflict intersections and view a video demonstration on how to use them

Read more about this project

Project summary

Schedule

Begins: March 18, 2013

Ends: Fall 2013 with minor landscaping work continuing into spring 2014

Summary of work

• Reconstruct the existing at-grade signalized intersection to be a grade-separated diamond interchange;
• Connect the frontage road on the north side of Hwy 36 over the Gateway Trail.

Project Documents

Reports

• Environmental Assessment and Environmental Assessment Worksheet
• Findings Of Fact and Conclusion Letter
• Finding Of No Significant Impact Letter 

Design layouts

• Hilton design layout
• Demontreville design layout 

Maps

• Hwy 36/Hilton Trail project location map
• Hwy 36/Hilton Trail detour map
• Hwy 36/Hilton Trail interchange
• Hilton Trail interchange overview
• Demontreville J-turn location 

Visualizations

• Demontreville J-turn driving example