I mean, there was no one around. It was like a ghost-town project for the highway. Whatever word you use, the Highway 169 project will cost taxpayers millions more than planned. Dimension looked at the supplemental agreements and found the reasons why the price tag is going up. And there's more than money creating controversy.
Locals complain a mistake by the contractor nearly endangered the environment.
Barb Keil, the Mille Lacs County environmental services director, and Mike Dinndorf, a specialist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, said the burial would have violated two environmental laws. The water will sink down through, pick up some contaminants from the concrete and sink into the water table. The contractor was ordered to move the debris. He admits making a mistake but says it cost taxpayers nothing. There is one more problem that likely will cost taxpayers.