District 8 – Southwest MN announces 2018 construction program

The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced its 2018 transportation construction program on Wednesday, April 4. Statewide, the 2018 road and bridge projects total $1.1 billion.

An additional $32 million is being invested in multimodal projects which include airport, port and railroad projects that are outside of the state road construction program.

For a complete list of projects by highway, visit www.mndot.gov/roadwork/current.html. Project page information includes construction schedule, traffic impacts, maps, benefits and costs.

Locally, in District 8 (Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville & Yellow Medicine) the 2018 construction program totals $23.8 million.

The construction costs do not include other costs such as maintenance.

District 8 projects, including a 2018 construction project map, are available at www.mndot.gov/d8/projects.html.

Motorists can stay informed about projects and other transportation topics by connecting to MnDOT via social media, as well as signing up to receive email updates. 2018 road and bridge projects starting this spring

· Highway 19 bridge – Marshall: rehabilitation of historic bridge on Highway 19 over the Redwood River with ADA improvements. A detour is required. PCiRoads is the contractor on the project.

· Highway 68 bridge – Marshall: rehabilitation of bridge on Highway 68 over the Redwood River Diversion Channel. A detour is required. PCiRoads is the contractor on the project.

· Highway 22 – Eden Valley: resurfacing of Highway 22 from Highway 12 to Highway 55 and ADA improvements along Highway 22. Project will be completed under traffic. Knife River Corporation is the contractor on the project.

· Highway 55 – Eden Valley: resurfacing of Highway 55 from the Eden Valley/Meeker county line to the Stearns county line and ADA improvements along Highway 55. Knife River Corporation is the contractor on the project.

· Highway 71– Willmar: robust resurfacing of Highway 71 from the Jct of Highway 23 to just north of Highway 9, construction of left turn lanes, right turn lanes, a bypass lane and a pedestrian underpass. A detour is required. Hardrives Inc. is the contractor on the project.

· Highway 75 – Pipestone: resurfacing of Highway 75 from the south intersection of Highway 23 to the intersection of Highway 23 and Highway 75, construction of continuous two way left turn lane and ADA improvements.

Project will be completed under traffic. Duininck Inc. is the contractor on the project. Project highlight District 8 will be completing a robust resurfacing of Highway 71 from the Jct of Highway 23 to just north of Highway 9.

In addition to the resurfacing project, MnDOT will be constructing left and right turning lanes, a bypass lane and a pedestrian underpass (as part of a DNR trail extension from New London to Sibley State Park) on the same stretch of road.

This project will require a detour due to the extensive resurfacing work and other components of the project. Project benefits include a smoother road surface and enhanced safety and mobility for motorists and pedestrians.

The estimated project cost is $6 million. Hardrives Inc. is the contractor on the project. Construction is expected to begin in April.

Information can be found at www.dot.state.mn.us/d8/projects/us71north. Left Turn Lane Locations

· US 71 & Kandiyohi County Road 40 (Lakes Access) · US 71 & Kandiyohi County Road 27 (Deering’s Auto)

· US 71 & Kandiyohi County Road 29 (Lake Florida & Commercials Pits)

· US 71 & Highway 9 (Benson & New London) · US 71 & Kandiyohi County Road 10 · US 71 & Kandiyohi County Road 148/48 (Sibley State Park) Right Turn Lane Locations

· US 71 & Kandiyohi County Road 10 (current right turn lane will be lengthened)

· US 71 & the landfill (right turn & bypass lane addition) Pedestrian Underpass Location (DNR trail extension)

· US 71 & Kandiyohi County Road 40 (underpass will run diagonally under intersection) Watch for orange cones Motorists may encounter lane closures or lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, equipment and other unexpected obstacles when driving near or through work zones.

MnDOT advises motorists to:

· Check www.511mn.org for up-to-date information about traffic and road conditions

· Expect delays, especially during peak travel times

· Minimize distractions (e.g., don’t use cell phones or eat or drink while driving)

· Follow posted speed limits; fines are up to $300 in work zones

· Avoid making lane changes within work zones