With 250 miles of Anoka County roads declared "deficient" and another 150 needing attention, the county board on Tuesday approved an ambitious $134 million, five-year construction plan.

The plan, whose cost will be shared by the county and other funding sources, will include work in both rural and urban areas.

Rural-area roads account for the majority of the county's auto fatalities, said Doug Fischer, Anoka County highway engineer. Many of those former dirt roads have quickly become major boulevards, often without proper engineering, Fischer said.

"These roads grew up overnight," he said. "Some never were engineered. They just happened.

"And people tend to drive faster in rural areas. It can be a deadly combination."

Roads not only must be repaved. Sharp curves need to be smoothed, slopes flattened and trees cut to ensure better visibility, especially in areas heavily populated by deer.

The number of crashes and cars running off the road on and near Lexington Avenue in northern Anoka County could be lessened by widening roads, Fischer said.

Though more fatalities occur on rural roads, the majority of traffic accidents in the county happen in urban areas, where there is concern over the maintenance of high-volume intersections and rail crossings, Fischer said. Twenty-three miles of roads exceed capacity, he said.

The cost of the project, which will run through 2013, raised eyebrows from commissioners. One commissioner, Dan Erhart, asked if federal stimulus money was to be included for the project. There is no long-term program for stimulus money. He quickly added that more projects could be included if stimulus money becomes available.

The county will fund only one-third of the five-year project, with the remainder stemming from "external funds," including state, federal and grant money.

"We need to make sure to build them right the first time," County Board Chairman Dennis Berg said of any new roads that may be constructed in rural areas.

Several detailed maps, showing the most troublesome areas, will soon be available through the Anoka County website.

Paul Levy • 612-673-4419