GRAND RAPIDS — Minnesota’s Toward Zero Deaths campaign presented awards to traffic safety advocates and law enforcement offices for their work to reduce deaths on state roadways.
The Itasca County Sheriff’s Office was among those recognized on Saturday, Oct. 25, for its role with the Itasca County Highway 169 Task Force.
The group formed in response to 10 fatal crashes on the highway since June 2019.
One major outcome of the task force, which included officials from the Minnesota State Patrol and the Minnesota Department of Transportation, was a road zone campaign that included 5,000 traffic stops. MnDOT also conducted a road safety audit with recommendations on how to improve safety on the corridor.
"The result? A dramatic reduction in deaths on Highway 169 between Grand Rapids and Keewatin," announced the Minnesota State Patrol in a Facebook announcement.
The Toward Zero Deaths program is an interdisciplinary partnership formed in 2003, led by the state departments of Health, Transportation and Public Safety in an attempt to reduce roadway fatalities. Since its inception, fatalities have dropped by 27%.
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Larissa Donovan/KAXEBemidji Mayor Jorge Prince accepted the Tommy Longo Disaster Leadership Award from LeadersLink during the Bemidji City Council meeting on June 15, 2026. -
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Megan Buffington/KAXEThe county avoided buying new flag poles by flying the current and former Minnesota flags on poles that were previously used for a memorial. -
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