MnDOT and the City of Blaine are turning Blaine City Hall into project central today and tomorrow, hosting in‑person open houses to preview final plans for the long‑planned Highway 65 reconstruction. Each session runs 3–7 p.m., with brief presentations at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Project staff and engineers will be on hand before and after those talks to walk residents through display boards and answer questions about what is coming to the corridor.
What MnDOT plans to build
The project will convert the at‑grade intersections at 99th, 105th, 109th, and 117th/Cloud Drive into grade‑separated interchanges, add a pedestrian bridge near 113th–114th, and shift local access to frontage and backage roads to improve safety and traffic flow. MnDOT says bids were opened in April, and C.S. McCrossan was the apparent low bidder at about $168.2 million. The agency lists construction beginning in June with work stretching roughly through summer 2030. The reconstruction is intended to reduce crashes, improve drainage, and expand walking and biking connections, according to MnDOT.
Where the meetings are and how they run
The open houses are set for the Cloverleaf Conference Room at Blaine City Hall and use a drop‑in format with two short presentations each day. Per the City of Blaine's Facebook post, staff will give quick overviews at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., then stick around before and after to handle one‑on‑one questions. The sessions are geared toward residents, commuters and business owners who want a close look at design layouts and staging plans without sitting through a long formal meeting.
Construction impacts drivers and businesses should expect
Officials say crews will try to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction whenever possible, but motorists should plan for intermittent single‑lane shifts, short closures and detours during major work. Anoka County’s project notice outlines drainage repairs, new trails and phased work across the corridor and emphasizes that access to businesses will be preserved during construction. Pedestrian crossings and sidewalks in the corridor will be rebuilt to meet ADA standards, according to project planning materials, so it will not just be drivers seeing changes.
Noise mitigation and property‑owner voting
The city and MnDOT previously conducted a noise study and identified several locations where noise walls are being considered. Affected property owners who would see at least a 5‑decibel reduction would be eligible to vote on whether a given wall is constructed. The City of Blaine has posted a Noise Mitigation Update with details about the weighted voting process and timelines for ballots and results. That vote, along with right‑of‑way steps and environmental reviews, will shape final wall locations.
How to follow up if you can't make the open houses
If you can’t attend in person, the project team maintains a virtual open house with maps, renderings and a comment form where residents can leave feedback. The virtual engagement hub contains the same display material as the in‑person events, and the project team is collecting questions and email updates through the online site so people who miss the meetings can still stay in the loop.
