Condemnations among land purchases for new St. Croix River bridge
“Just a few miles east of the busy St. Croix River bridge construction, Ed Gillstrom sits in his farm kitchen, poring over financial documents that condemn his land for a new highway leading to the bridge.
“I made it very clear that I’m not trying to stop the bridge, but they’re taking a fine piece of land and I want to be compensated for it,” said Gillstrom, who was born on the land his Swedish immigrant grandparents bought in 1894. “The nicest piece of land in St. Croix County is carved up, it’s worthless.”
Work on the $676 million bridge project has proceeded faster on the Washington County side of the river, where land acquisitions were minimal. But in St. Joseph, negotiations will continue into late summer to buy land for a three-mile stretch of four-lane highway.”
GIles, Kevin. Star Tribune 22 February 2014.