Briefs: 2 major Dakota County highway projects near completion

Within days, officials in two spots in Dakota County signaled the near completion of major transportation projects.

In northeast Eagan, lanes were reopened at Halloween to complete all but the technicalities of a $7.5 million project on Hwys. 55 and 149.

And a few days later, a day before the Nov. 4 general election, a ribbon-cutting celebrated the impending completion of a nearly $50 million project to redo the dangerous and congested Burnsville intersection of Hwys. 13 and 5.

The first of these two projects involved the cities of Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, Dakota County, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Council and the Federal Highway Administration.

The upgrades:

• A third northbound lane on Hwy 149, between I-494 and Hwy 55;

• A third lane westbound and eastbound on Hwy 55, between North Hwy. 149 and South Hwy 149.

• A trail on the east side of Hwy 149, from Blue Gentian Road and on the east/south side of Hwy 55, between the two Hwy 149 intersections.

• Resurfacing Hwy 149, in both directions.

Officials caution that the work is not 100 percent complete:

"Traffic signal improvements will continue over the next 3-4 months as MnDOT completes the signal timing coordination and installation of the traffic management system through the corridor."

The Burnsville intersection meanwhile will reopen within the next week or so, officials said.

Lakeville police are asking for folks to apply to be Volunteer Reserve Officers. The officers help with crowd control, traffic control, and other duties.

You must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, a driver's license with a good driving record, and pass a background investigation.

The position requires about 25 hours of time per three-month period.

For information on applying, call 952-985-2800.

Completed applications go to 9237 183rd St., Lakeville, 55044. The deadline is Nov. 30.

The idea is to have people capable, amid a tornado or other natural disaster, of working together in their neighborhoods to do basic tasks until emergency services arrive.

Participants are trained in things like fire safety, medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization and terrorism identification and fire extinguisher use.

There is a simulated exercise to practice skills learned during seven sessions.

Burnsville firefighters collaborate with the cities of Bloomington and Richfield.

Upcoming training: Friday from 5:30-9:30 p.m.; Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Attendance at all three sessions is required.

Contact Assistant Fire Chief Brian Carlson at 952-895-4573 for more information.

The 66th annual Mendota Heights Firefighters' Dance, a fundraiser for the department, takes place on Friday night.

The band "High & Mighty" performs at the events, which takes place from 8 p.m. to midnight.

The venue is the Hilton Hotel near the airport and the Mall of America, 3800 American Blvd., Bloomington.

Tickets are $12 in advance, or two for $20, or at the door they cost $15.

Experts will guide you through the online process through Minnesota I-Can, explained at http://www.mncourts.gov/ican.

The session is offered by the Dakota County Law Library, Legal Assistance of Dakota County, the Minnesota Justice Foundation, and volunteer attorneys and law students.

To register, call 952-431-3200. The next session is Dec. 4, from 1–4 p.m. at the Galaxie Library, Apple Valley.

There are meetings in Farmington and Northfield this week aimed at helping people properly value the rental price for farmland. Free sessions are being offered by the University of Minnesota Extension.

"Farm land rental rates have never been higher," an announcement explains, and so "determining a fair farm rent agreement is a challenge in today's economy, with current significantly lower corn and soybeans prices in 2014 and 2015 compared to recent records."

David Bau, Extension educator, will give examples, factsheets and work sheets to determine a fair farmland rental rate.

For information, contact Neith Grace Little, Dakota County Extension educator at 651-480-7723, or nglittle@umn.edu.