Rehabilitation of Ugstad Road and Arrowhead Road is a highly visible and important project for the City of Hermantown — and the largest federally funded project in the city’s history to date.

The Ugstad Road corridor is a primary north-south route that provides access to the Hermantown Elementary, Middle, and High Schools via its intersection with Hawk Circle Drive. The Hermantown Hockey Arena and Essentia Wellness Center are also accessible via Ugstad Road near the Arrowhead Road intersection. Arrowhead Road is a major collector for the City of Hermantown and also provides access to Hermantown schools via the intersection with Hawk Circle Drive.

Both roadways are embedded within an ever-growing residential area and service multiple neighborhood developments. They are also a short distance to the busy Miller Hill commercial district of the City of Duluth, cross-town connectors to the communities of Proctor and Duluth, and earmarked as an area for future development.

In 2021, the City of Hermantown contracted with MSA to provide design and construction engineering services for the rehabilitation of these roadways to boost safety and accessibility, improve traffic movement near local schools, upgrade corridor utilities and improve the user experience with new sidewalk and enhanced pedestrian crossings with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB).

The project was a combination of mill and overlay, reclaim and overlay, and full reconstruction of Ugstad Road and Arrowhead Road. Approximately 3,900 LF of 5-foot concrete sidewalk and 7,500 LF of 6-foot concrete sidewalk was added to the project corridor, providing pedestrian-friendly connections to area schools. Additional work included storm sewer construction, new concrete curb and gutter, culvert extensions/replacements, turn lane additions, permanent pavement markings, and signing.

MSA worked in close concert with city leaders, Saint Louis County, utility providers and the MnDOT District 1 Traffic Office to coordinate work on each end of the project termini, determine an effective method for construction phasing, and host public involvement meetings to keep local residents informed on project progress. The project was completed in the fall of 2023.