White Bear Lake's Highway 61 project has the highest DBE goal on MnDOT's Nov. 18 letting

A short but complex stretch of Highway 61 in White Bear Lake carries the highest disadvantaged business goal among the nine projects on the Minnesota Department of Transportation's Nov. 18, 2026 letting.

The project

Contract 260134, S.P. 6222-196, is in MnDOT's Metro District and Ramsey County. The advertisement describes grading, concrete and bituminous surfacing, ADA improvements, signals, lighting and TMS on Highway 61 from 1,630 feet south of Interstate 694 to 2nd Street in the city of White Bear Lake, 0.665 miles. It also lists state-aid number 174-117-009 and federal project STBG 6227(032).

The DBE goal is 10.40%, compared with 6.70%, 5.50% and 5.20% on the other three projects on the letting that list a DBE percentage. On a corridor job with signals, lighting and concrete work, that goal will shape how primes assemble their subcontractor teams.

The rest of the Metro list

Four other Metro District projects are on the Nov. 18 letting:

• Highway 169 noise wall, Hennepin County (260130): precast concrete noise wall, moment slab, TMS and lighting from Cedar Lake Road to 0.07 miles south of West 16th Street, 0.817 miles, located in the city of Minnetonka per the advertisement. State funds, 4.10% TGB goal.
• Highway 95 at County Road 22, Cottage Grove, Washington County (260138): grading, bituminous surfacing, a roundabout, ADA improvements and lighting, 0.643 miles. HSIP federal safety funds; 6.70% DBE goal.
• Bridge No. 4190, Mendota (260149): the Highways 55 and 62 bridge over the Minnesota River, in Hennepin and Dakota counties, 0.778 miles. State funds; TGB/VET goal type, 0%.
• I-694 signing, Hennepin County (260151): signing from I-494 to Highway 252, 8.037 miles. DBE goal type, listed as N/A.

For Metro subcontractors

Together, the five projects call for:

• concrete and bituminous paving;
• signal, lighting and traffic management system electrical work;
• precast noise wall and moment slab installation;
• roundabout construction;
• bridge work over the Minnesota River; and
• sign installation.

DBE firms certified through the Minnesota Unified Certification Program are the ones primes will need to meet the White Bear Lake and Cottage Grove goals. Targeted group and veteran-owned businesses are relevant to the state-funded Highway 169 noise wall project.

Local contractor base

The Metro District's counties hold most of Minnesota's licensed contractors in this site's directory. Hennepin County has 2,433, Anoka 1,059, Dakota 970, Ramsey 821 and Washington 638, drawn from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry's license data. Each county hub on this site lists those firms by license type.

Electrical subcontractors nearby

Signals, lighting and TMS need licensed electrical contractors. This site's directory lists 83 Class A electrical contractors and 46 technology systems contractors based in Ramsey County, and 63 electrical contractors and 21 technology systems contractors in Washington County. Across MnDOT's Metro District, the directory has 6,814 licensees in all.

Timeline

MnDOT published all nine Nov. 18 advertisements on Oct. 21, leaving four weeks for bidders to review plans, get quotes from subcontractors and suppliers, and line up DBE participation. The White Bear Lake project had no amendments listed as of Oct. 30. Bidders should check MnDOT's advertisement page for amendments before bidding.

How to bid MnDOT work

MnDOT's advertisement page lists each project by letting date, with its S.P. number, contract ID, district, county, goal type and goal percentages, and a link to view the project's items. Bidders should read each project's proposal for requirements. MnDOT's bid letting site links to Bid Express for electronic bidding. Public work contracts in Minnesota require performance and payment bonds under Minn. Stat. § 574.26, except for contracts below the threshold in § 471.345 and other listed exceptions. This site's MnDOT bidding guide has more.

All MnDOT projects are on our bids page, refreshed daily.