County State Aid Highway 50 and I-35 Interchange Final Engineering Design

Dakota County, in partnership with the City of Lakeville and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), is requesting proposals for professional engineering design and related services to complete final design of a diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 35 and County State Aid Highway 50/5 in Lakeville, Minnesota, with proposals due September 1, 2026. This procurement uses Qualification Based Selection (QBS) methodology; price information is excluded from proposals, and the successful consultant will submit a detailed scope and budget within five business days of selection for negotiation.

The scope encompasses final design of roadway, ramp terminal, trail, driveway, and intersection improvements along CSAH 50 from Kenrick Avenue to Klamath Trail, as well as improvements to I-35, Kenyon Avenue, and Kenrick Avenue, including an auxiliary lane on northbound I-35. Consultant deliverables include public involvement, Visual Quality Manual development, environmental documentation updates and permits, field survey, utility coordination, geotechnical work, stormwater management, final roadway and geometric design plans, traffic analysis and signal design, structural design for bridges and noise walls, and right-of-way mapping and appraisals. The consultant must comply with 23 CFR 172 and MnDOT policies for engineer and design consultant services, including federal cost principles and indirect cost rate requirements.

Evaluation criteria are project understanding and work plan (30%), key staff qualifications and experience (45%), recent team performance on similar projects (20%), and quality control (5%). Dakota County has secured $5.04 million in Federal Congressionally Directed Spending (2023) for design with a 20% non-federal match requirement, plus additional federal and state funding sources totaling over $55.8 million across design, right-of-way, and construction phases. The contract term extends from November 2026 through December 2030, with construction advertisement planned for fall 2028 and construction beginning in 2029. Questions are due August 18, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Contractor selection is anticipated by September 15, 2026, with contract negotiations to be completed by October 6, 2026.