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Summary Letter,August 16,2007,Page 6 of 6 Analyzed impact of realignments in eleven communities, using primarily retail sales data. Did not find a consistent pattern of impact on sales for bypass communities versus control communities. Used a survey instrument following the bypass to gauge attitudes among businesses and voters. "The Economic Impacts of Highway Bypasses on Communities,"Wisconsin Department of Transportation, 1998. Analyzed seventeen communities with highway realignments between 1980-98. Most bypass communities had significant economic growth occurring before the bypass was constructed, which was one of the reasons the bypasses were needed. Found little evidence that bypasses adversely impact overall economies of most communities. "Retail flight" in Wisconsin bypass communities is not apparent, meaning few retail businesses are newly developed or relocated near the bypass. Most likely to see negative impacts are those under 1,000 population. Finally, emphasized the need for small communities to market themselves as destinations. "Effects of Highway Bypasses on Rural Communities and Small Urban Areas,"National Cooperative Highway Research Program(May 1996, Vol. 210). Examined over fifty cases dating from the 1950s to the 1990s,from all regions of the country. Indicated observations of declining sales for traffic-serving businesses along old route observed in eighteen cases; increase in the amount of land in commercial and industrial use. Showed that along "old"routes, land values increased in 47 of 50 cases, and declined in the other three. Average daily traffic levels on bypassed routes declined 50-70% in studied communities. Average distance between old and new route was 1.3 miles. Gillis, William R., "Lessons Learned from Eastern Washington: State Route Main Streets, Bypass Routes and Economic Development in Small Towns,"Washington State University and Washington State Department of Transportation,February 1994. Concluded that negative impact of bypasses was smaller for downtown business districts with well-developed local customer bases than those dependent on drive-by traffic. Thompson, Eric;Miller,Joseph;and Roenker, Jonathon, "The Impact of a New Bypass Route on the Local Economy and Quality of Life,"Kentucky Transportation Center/University of Kentucky, 2001. Found that reallocation of retail from downtowns to bypass areas stemmed from new retail, not relocation of existing businesses. Indicated that bypasses tended to reallocate office space away from the bypassed areas. 'The City's cluster includes McGregor,Cass Lake,Pillager,Remer,Pequot Lakes,LaPorte and Nevis school districts.