August Brings Changes To Many MNDOT Road Projects

The summer road construction season is in full swing around the Northland with a wide variety of projects head "full-speed-ahead" towards fall.  We're already in the month of August - and that brings a variety of changes to many of the ongoing projects.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation is working extra-hard to make sure that drivers are aware of traffic control changes that go into effect as of Monday, August 10.

The list of changes involves some lane closures, detours, and flagging operation.  Here is a run-down of the traffic control changes by project:

• Highway 23 - near Holyoke:   The Deer Creek Bridge project will require a detour over Carlton Counyt Roads 8, 11, 6, and 1.  This detour is anticipated to last for 21 days.  Click here for more details.
• Highway 37 in Gilbert:  Between Highway 53 and Gilbert, drivers should anticipate encountering flaggers as work progresses on new turn and bypass lanes.  Inside the City of Gilbert, traffic will become single lane in both directions; it will also be moved to the east bound lanes between Michigan Avenue and Highway 135 and between Kansas and Nebraska Avenues.  Click here for more details.
• Highway 53 and Highway 65 in Nashwauk:  Traffic control shifts on Highway 65, single lane on Highway 169 southbound with 12-foot restrictions.  Crossover between northbound Highway 169 and Highway 65 remains closed with detour on County Road 86.  Click here for more details.
• Highway 53 in International Falls:  Local detour changes to Memorial Drive to 2nd Avenue East to 15th Street East.  Click here for details.
• Highway 169 north of Highway 53:  Shoulder work in preparation for bridge work will require flagging.  The bridge is located .21 miles north of County Highway 21.  Bridge work will begin August 17, with half the bridge being reconstructed at a time.  This work will require a temporary signal system with single lane bypass.  Click here for details.
• Highway 53 in Virginia:  Work will begin in the median of 12th Avenue.  A temoporary signal system has been installed at the 12th Avenue and the 13th Street intersections.  Local detours will be in place.  At 12th Avenue, traffic will see single lane closures that close the center median of the intersection.  AT 13th Street, traffic may encounter shoulder closures and possibly single lane traffic.  The detour configuration is the Stage 1 map.  Maps and details can be found by clicking here.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation maintains an up-to-date project website for all of its current (and planned) projects.  A wealth of information is available by clicking here.