DULUTH — A major road project expected to improve safety on Rice Lake Road and open new areas for housing got a boost this week, helped along by a hefty federal grant and state funding.

The Rice Lake Road corridor project was awarded nearly $35 million, most of it through a federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure With Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant. The project involves reconstructing parts of Rice Lake, Martin and West Calvary roads, including new segments of city streets, turn lanes and roundabouts. More than five miles of paved trails will be added, according to a prepared statement from St. Louis County.

Part of this plan includes building up the downtown area of Rice Lake, which turned from a township to a city in 2015. It had a population of about 4,000 during the 2020 census.

"This grant will build a new corridor in Rice Lake that will pave the way for commercial growth and help us realize our vision of a beautiful downtown area complete with walkways, bike paths and a chance for people to get out and enjoy our city," Mayor Suzanne Herstad said in a news release.

Preliminary work on the project, a decade in the making, likely will begin in the fall and span the two construction seasons of 2028-29. According to county officials, it will open up new areas for housing and economic development in addition to reducing the risk of serious injury crashes by 52%.

The state's Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act Match Program tacked on additional funding in addition to a bump from the federal Transportation Alternatives Program. The project was one of the 148 nationwide to receive the RAISE grant.