Rice Lake Road Project Receives State Recognition The award comes from the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association. According to details released by St. Louis County, the association honored the county with its Asphalt Pacing Merit Award for the significant improvements made along Rice Lake Road. The scope of the project in distance wasn't very long; however, the improvements made were large in scale. The work involved reconstructing more than half a mile of Rice Lake Road, widening the intersection at Arlington Avenue and Arrowhead Road, and making improvements to Technology Drive. The area worked on is considered to have a high-traffic volume. The finished work improved traffic flow and made safety improvements. The roadway is also more accommodating to pedestrians and other non-vehicular forms of transportation.