Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Hwy 10—Wadena

Wadena and Otter Tail counties

Develop project

MnDOT will finalize the four-lane highway design, complete the environmental process and deliver 2025–2026 construction plans.

MnDOT visualizations are computer-generated renderings of proposed road designs, photo simulations and animations. They aid in project development and provide a valuable communication tool for the public.

Eastbound

Watch the Hwy 10 Wadena—eastbound visual flyover (YouTube)

Westbound

Watch the Hwy 10 Wadena—westbound flyover (YouTube)

Published October 2023. Both videos are a work in progress and do not represent all final design details but a three-dimensional drive through once constructed.

In response to the community's input, the project team developed a preferred alternative layout, which includes roundabouts at Co. Rd. 92/11th St. NW (formerly 640th St by hospital) and Harry Rich Dr. The final concept further improves access to Hwy 10 and addresses safety concerns as travelers enter the city from the west or east at high speeds.

The Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for proposed improvements to Hwy 10 in Wadena, was available for review and comment Feb. 13 – March 14, 2024. The EAW documents the purpose and need of the project along with the potential environmental impacts.

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The project will result in a temporary easement of 0.025 acres and permanent acquisition of 0.45 acres from the southern edge of the park. This would reduce the park's size from 80 acres to 79.6 acres. However, a 1.07-acre adjacent parcel will be incorporated into the park as mitigation for impacts under Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Act. The new size of Sunnybrook Park would be 80.62 acres, a net increase of 0.62 acres over the existing 80-acre park.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has made a preliminary determination that the proposed action at Sunnybrook Park is a Section 4(f) de minimis action in accordance with 23 CFR 774.5, conditioned on public review and comment. A de minimis finding may be made when uses of Section 4(f) land will have no adverse effect on the protected resources. Open comment period ended Nov. 9, 2023. MnDOT did not receive any comments or concerns. Download and read the Section 4(f) de minimus for Sunnybrook Park (PDF)

Learn more about Section 4(f) documentation on projects

The Hwy 10 project included an in-depth environmental review process where many issues are looked at, including noise or noise barriers. The 2023 noise analysis concluded that the corridor does not warrant any noise barrier construction along Hwy 10.

Learn more about traffic noise analysis and use of noise barriers.

Hwy 10 from Moorhead to Hastings is comprised of mostly four-lane expressway with isolated segments of controlled freeway. There is a six-mile gap through Wadena that remains a two-lane highway. The urban segment in Wadena was recently reconstructed in 2020 with a width sufficient for the reconfiguration of the additional through lanes in anticipation of the four-lane expansion of the rural two-lane segments. The rural two‐lane sections east and west of town are in an area of mixed uses, both commercial and agricultural.

In April 2021, District 3 received $5 million of Project Development Bond Funds for the Hwy 10 gap project from the bonding package passed in fall 2020. An additional $30 million of Trunk Highway Bond Funds was appropriated for the project in June 2021 as part of the 2021 Omnibus Transportation Bill.

MnDOT will complete an environmental study, seek public participation and draft preliminary layouts in 2022–2023.

Considerations

  • Safe speed transitions and access management along the corridor
  • Anticipate need of federal funding; gap with state bond funds alone
  • 2026 roadwork on Hwy 71 and Hwy 29 in Wadena
  • Contaminated properties
  • BNSF Railway line runs along Hwy 10
  • Environmental commitments
  • Hospital development in 2022–2023
  • Public expectations to construct as soon as possible