Business leaders express opposition to MnDOT’s roundabout plan

By: News Director Larissa Donovan

BEMIDJI– Members of the Bemidji Public Works Committee met with concerned business owners yesterday.

The meeting was largely a listening session, with business owners expressing their frustration about MnDOT’s proposal for reconstructing the Highway 197 corridor in the coming years.

Business owners such as Josh Wild, owner of Big North properties, felt MnDOT hasn’t adequately surveyed the population on how they feel about roundabouts.

Josh Wild, Big North

Some of MNDOT’s proposals include constructing six roundabouts along the corridor, from Bemidji Avenue to near the airport. MnDOT is scheduled to present an update on the Highway 197 corridor plans in a work session Monday with the Bemidji City Council. 


Larissa Donovan is the News Director for the stations of Paul Bunyan Broadcasting and has been, almost without interruption, since Election Day 2016. She covers all the beats in north-central Minnesota, such as local government, crime, education, environment and social issues. She studied communications at Bemidji State University. You can follow along with Larissa's live tweets of meetings and events on Twitter!


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