Clearing and grubbing along a 10-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 53 is expected to begin this winter to make way for the next nine miles of four-lane.

Mike Kalnbach, project engineer for Minnesota Department of Transportation District 1, told Bob Anderson, chairman of the Highway 53 Improvement Task Force, Friday that bids were opened for the four-lane project from Rice River to the south city limits of Cook.

Low bid of $39 million was accepted from KGM Contractors Inc., Angora, the same contractor that was contracted to do the previous 10 miles of four-lane from the Highway 53/169 interchange to the Rice River.

The project must be completed by December 2014, according to Anderson.

“This is very good news for the citizens in northern Minnesota and those who choose to visit here, as we will have nine more miles of safe highway to travel soon,” said Anderson.

In the meantime, Anderson said he would meet with MnDOT officials to review the amount of money set aside from state and federal sources for the highway project.

Anderson said once the amount of money available for the project is determined, the possibility of constructing passing lanes north of Cook will be considered.

Passing lanes, said Anderson, would make for safer travel in the summer, when long lines of vehicles, some pulling trailers, delay passing. In the winter, he said passing lanes will make for safer travel allowing people better visibility from billowing snow from behind other vehicles.

The Highway 53 improvements began after a meeting in 1998. Concerns about traffic accidents on the northern, two-lane portion of the highway and a desire to create a continuous four-lane system from International Falls to Chippewa Falls, Wis., began to be discussed. At that time, the four-lane portion of the road ended at the Highway 53/169 exchange.

Anderson said former Minnesota Rep. Irv Anderson, along with the International Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, asked that MnDOT officials meet with area officials about the idea of establishing the four-lane project. A task force was formed and included Virginia, Cook, Orr and International Falls officials, as well as representatives from the St. Louis and Koochiching county boards.

Since that meeting, and with the nine miles of four-lane awarded last week, Anderson said 20 miles have been expanded to four-lane. In addition, he said turn lanes and lighting at main intersections have been created.

The task force, he said, rejected the idea of bypassing Cook and Orr with the four-lane road. Instead, he said the task force agreed to use the existing alignment through the communities in an effort to slow traffic and allow people the opportunity to stop at businesses in the community.

“A lot of safety work has been done through that 14-year period,” said Anderson.

The improvements, he said, make for a more relaxing and safer transportation corridor.

Anderson credited former Congressman Jim Oberstar with helping to secure money for the project. He also said Congressman Chip Cravaack has supported the improvement effort.

“The stars came together for us in those 14 years,” he said.

Anderson said that there is still hope that additional money could be secured to create turning lanes at Ash River and Kabetogama.

“The task force will meet and decide what’s next,” he said.