Letter to the editor: Better path needed on Big Lake Road

The Perch Lake Township Board of Supervisors joins with township residents to express our total disappointment in the lack of proper planning by the Carlton County Engineer’s Office in not providing a proper pathway along Big Lake Road.

Residents of Perch Lake depended on such a pathway in the past. It offered an alternative to motorized vehicles for recreation and work-related activities. The limited pathway resulting from the Big Lake Road project is simply unsuitable for bikers and walkers as it is too narrow, causing safety concerns.

In this era of global warming, one would think that the county engineer’s office would have embraced the need to provide alternative means of transportation along the road and not continue with only the needs of motorized vehicles.

Ignoring the needs of residents along Big Lake Road is not an option, as they, like others, contributed tax dollars to this project. If the county had held public hearings in the affected areas during the planning process of this road improvement project, the result may have been different.

We respectfully request that you consider adding a wider hard surface to the shoulder of Big Lake Road next year, as in all probability, Carlton County will receive adequate funding with the upcoming infrastructure bill.

Gary Harms,

Perch Lake Township chairman