Minnesota Wraps Up 2014 Road Construction Season Just In Time For Old Man Winter

One of the most ambitious road construction seasons in recent memory has officially wrapped up, according to the MInnesota Department of Transportion.  More than 308 projects were worked on by the state over the course of the winter months.

So what went on around the state?  Here's a run down of our local projects:

• Highway 53 between Virginia and Cook – This project, which expanded 20 miles of Highway 53 to four lanes, was completed in September and will improve safety and traffic flow. (Construction cost: $32 million)
• Highway 33 from I-35 to the Big Lake intersection in Cloquet – This project is removing in-place pavement on Highway 33 and repaving the road surface with concrete. It is also reconstructing the intersection at Big Lake Road/Doddridge Avenue. (Construction cost: $6.2 million)
• 15th Street Bridge in Bemidji – Crews replaced and raised the bridge deck, which will improve safety along the bypass, as well as clearance for large trucks. (Construction cost: $1.25 million)
• I-94 in Monticello – This project completed reconstruction of two miles of I-94 in Monticello It also added a new auxiliary lane along westbound I-94 between County Road 18 and Highway 25, reconfigured the ramps and acceleration lane from Highway 25 to eastbound I-94, upgraded signal systems and improved drainage. (Construction cost: $17.2 million)
• I-94 between Rogers and St. Michael – Reconstruction of two miles of I-94 between Rogers and St. Michael will be complete in fall 2015. This two-year project will add lanes, improve the I-94 bridges spanning the Crow River and construct a noise barrier near high-density housing along westbound I-94. (Construction cost: $28.3 million)
• Highway 10/County Road 2 interchange in Rice – Construction of a new interchange at Highway 10/County Road 2 in Rice will be complete in November 2014. The two-year project replaces a crash-prone signalized intersection with a full interchange that uses a unique design that preserves local roadways while minimizing project costs. (Construction cost: $11.3 million)
• Highway 371 in Nisswa – This project was completed in July and reconstructed four lanes of Highway 371, improved turn lanes, realigned and provided a new Crow Wing County Road 18 connection. It also improved city infrastructure with a new pedestrian tunnel, improved local roads and utilities, and created better access to the Paul Bunyan Trail. (Construction cost: $7 million; $4.5 million is MnDOT’s share)
• Highway 29/Broadway in Alexandria – Crews replaced underground utilities, installed new sidewalks that meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, added several decorative elements and resurfaced the roadway. (Construction cost: $5.5 million)
• Highway 10 bridge east of Glyndon – This project replaced the eastbound Highway 10 bridge over the Buffalo River. The new bridge improves safety and helps preserve the Highway 10 corridor between Moorhead and Detroit Lakes. (Construction cost: $1.2 million)
• Highway 29 resurfacing and bridge replacements – Work is complete on the Highway 29 resurfacing project between Benson and Highway 40. Crews also replaced three bridges. The project used cold-in-place recycling, which is a longer-term fix than a traditional mill and overlay. It’s meant to reduce the amount of maintenance and repair costs over time. (Construction cost: $6.5 million)

Meanwhile, other projects in southern Minnesota and around the metro area were also accomplished.  Click here for a breakdown of those areas and more information.