Road, pipeline, racetrack, or ?

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As I drove west out of Northfield on Hwy 19 this morning, I noticed this construction a few miles out of town. Left photo is facing south, right photo facing north. There’s another one of these massive digs happening just south of Dundas to the west of Hwy 3.

What the heck is going on?

I thought it was the MinnCan Project pipeline but looking at the PDF map, it appears that the pipeline route is much further north. I’ll try to get a photo of the south Hwy 3 dig later tonight.

Update Wed 8 am:

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Left and center photos are evidently the same pipeline project as above, only these are along Cty 1 a mile or so east if I-35. Right photo is the field south of Dundas to the west of hwy 3. Dundas water tower is visible in the background.

4 Comments

  1. Bruce Morlan said:

    Griff,

    I have similar photos at the crossing over Cty 1, I’ll add them when I get home tonight.

    June 4, 2007
  2. Dan Bergeson said:

    Dakota County Transportation told me last week that’s it a pipline to increase capacity for Northern Natural Gas. I don’t know what the total length of the project is or the timeline. They started digging about a week ago. The trucks at the site say Precision Pipeline on them.

    June 4, 2007
  3. Stephanie Henriksen said:

    The laying of more pipeline south of Dundas goes through the same general area as the ethanol aquifer test line under Cty 8 to Wolf Creek. I spoke with the company as to their plans about a year ago.

    I welcomed their big “slow down” sign by our mailbox, on behalf of a few delinquent ducks who venture out on the road after a rain..

    Stephanie Henriksen

    June 5, 2007
  4. Griff Wigley said:

    Thanks Dan and Stephanie. Dan, you’re right. The line west of town is evidently the Northern Lights project by Northern Natural Gas.

    If you click thru to the map and click on #6, you’ll get this pop-up description:

    Faribault-Farmington E-Line
    ID Duration * Start Date * Finish Date *
    6 118 4/30/2007 8/26/2007
    Project Description
    Install 23.96 miles of 24-inch pipe beginning at the discharge side of the Faribault compressor station located in Sec. 2, T109N, R21W in Dakota County, MN, and terminating in Sec. 14, T113N, R20W in Dakota County, MN. The termination point will include a regulated setting tied into the existing D-line and will be the beginning point for the E-line to Willmar tie-over.

    And if you click thru to the project’s FAQ pdf you’ll see:

    Who will be the customers of the Northern Lights project? The Northern Lights project will provide needed, clean-burning natural gas to the following:
    • Homes
    • Hospitals and nursing homes
    • Agricultural businesses
    • Schools
    • New electric power plants
    • New ethanol plants
    • Commercial businesses
    • Industrial customers

    Hmmm. New ethanol plants?

    June 6, 2007

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