I-35W North MnPass

The I-35W North MnPass Project was completed in late 2021 and cost approximately $208 million; the three-year Project consisted of the addition of MnPass (now E-ZPass) lanes in both northbound and southbound directions. Construction activities along the 12.5-mile alignment also included ramp and bridge replacement & repairs between County Road C in Roseville and Sunset Avenue in Lino Lakes. The majority of this Project was constructed through the Rice Creek Watershed District.

PE Services, with their partners, were selected by MnDOT to function as the Environmental Compliance Manager (ECM) and provide verification services. As the ECM, PE Services and the environmental team were responsible for managing the environmental risk potential for the MnPASS Project; we worked closely with the contracting environmental team toward the mutual goal of completing the Project maintaining compliance. Tasks included plan reviews, acting as the regulatory agency liaison, environmental documentation management, and NPDES & dewatering inspections. BMP measures were installed and inspected to minimize the potential of soil erosion impacts from construction.

Additionally, a section of the MnPASS Project where the roadway widening occurred was through an old 1950s dump site that our environmental team of experts provided planning and construction oversight. This section of earthwork was a known hotspot for contaminated materials that had to be planned for and handled appropriately. Extensive planning during the third construction season resulted in approximately 5,500 tons of northbound soil remediation that ran as efficiently as possible.

Environmental staff on this Project were tasked with reviewing and implementation oversight of 95 SWPPP Amendments and 238 dewatering Critical Activity Point (CAP) forms. This Project created a number of stormwater ponds and infiltration basins to help improve the overall environmental stormwater health of the surrounding areas.