Roseville's County Road C-2 Connection to Cost About $500,000

The east-west connection of County Road C-2 between Hamline and Lexington avenues is estimated to cost $540,000, a figure revised starkly downward from the $970,000 estimate made in late 2011.

At its Monday meeting, Roseville’s city council approved, on a 3-1 vote, detailed plans that called for a six-foot sidewalk on the north side of County Road C-2, right turn lanes onto Hamline and Lexington avenues and road narrowing between Hamline Ave. and Merrill St. 

When the connection was first approved at the council’s Oct. 17 meeting, Mayor Dan Roe dissented, arguing that the plans would be damaging to the neighborhood.

“We really should not do harm in decisions we make as a council,” Roe said then. “I can't get past the fact it's a significant change in the neighborhood.”

Monday evening, Roe voted for the plans, not wanting to disrupt a course of action decided by the council, and council member Tammy McGehee cast the lone dissenting vote.

“I think the staff did an excellent job of working with residents, but I think this is the wrong thing to do and I continue to be against it,” she said.

In October a group of Roseville residents, calling themselves “Share C-2,” argued that opening the road would reduce traffic elsewhere in the city.

“Opening C-2 is in the best interest of the city,” said Pam Nukem, the group’s spokesperson. “I hope the Save C-2 group is not suggesting the safety of their children is more important than any other group in the city.”

Construction on the project is expected to begin this year.