Caledonia Argus

Road construction could impact Labor Day holiday travel

Posted: 8/26/03

While the long Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer, the Minnesota Department of Transportation reminds motorists the stateís highway construction season could extend until late fall or early winter.

Department officials note that work on virtually all of the projects will cease during the holiday, but that many traffic restrictions such as detours and lane closures will remain in effect throughout the state. The result is that motorists may encounter heavy traffic volumes as well as road restrictions, making alert, courteous and cautious driving mandatory.

In order to reduce delays and detours, Mn/DOT posts information about highway projects and road conditions on its Web site

www.511mn.org and provides the same information via telephone with its 511 road information system.

ìEven though work on some construction projects will be suspended for the holiday weekend, the sites are still considered work zones and 511 can help drivers avoid congestion and delays,î said Lt. Gov. and Transportation Commissioner Carol Molnau.

By phone, travelers can use voice activation or the telephone keypad to also learn about weather, road conditions and traffic incidents. On the Internet, travelers can get the latest travel information by logging on at www.511mn.org. The service is provided free of charge. Helpful hints for using 511 by phone include:

Use the keypad to enter the first three letters of the name of the city, then press #

To select a highway, enter the highway number, followed by #

For the Main menu, press 0 anytime

To get help, press *

This year, Mn/DOT has more than 200 road improvement projects under way. The projects range from major reconstruction such as the I-94/I-694 corridor in the Twin Cities to rebuilding Hwy 23 between Willmar and Spicer in southwestern Minnesota.

In addition to highway rebuilding and bridge replacement projects, Mn/DOT conducts scores of maintenance operations such as highway resurfacing and crack sealing to extend highway service life.

The department advises travelers to be alert for detours, lane closures or other traffic restrictions in the following areas:

Northern Minnesota

Hwy 23, detour between Carlton County Roads 1 and 4 five miles south of Duluth.

Hwy 53 (Piedmont Avenue) in Duluth, detour from I-35 to Trinity Road on Hwy 194.

Hwy 61, gravel surface for 1.5 miles south of Grand Marais.

Hwy 73. Gravel surface for one-half mile near Prairie Lake north of Cromwell.

Hwy 210, detour between Carlton and Thompson west of Jay Cook State Park.

Hwy 10/Hwy 210 in Todd County between Motley and Staples. Four-lane divided highway reduced to two-lane traffic for six miles. Traffic switch; crossovers at each end of the project limits. Reduced speed.

Hwy 210 between Hwy 371 and Mississippi River Bridge in Baxter/Brainerd. Lane shifts, reduced speeds. Expect minor delays.

Hwy 371, four-lane expansion of 13-mile segment from south of the Hwy 371/Business Hwy 371 interchange to Morrison County Road 48 north of Camp Ripley. Passing lanes closed--one-lane traffic in each direction, lane shifts. Trucks hauling materials and intermittent flagging operations. Motorists should be alert for turning vehicles and expect minor delays.

Hwy 10 (Main Avenue) Bridge over the Red River in Fargo/Moorhead, closed to traffic. Detour is Main Avenue from Second Street in Fargo to Fourth Street in Moorhead. Third Street from Center Avenue to Second Avenue in Moorhead.

Hwy 200 between Twin Valley and Mahnomen, road is closed to traffic. Detour is Hwy 113 between Waubun and Syre.

I-94 east of Moorhead, culvert repair, lane shifts, lane closures and reduced speeds.

Hwy 27 in Wheaton from Hwy 75 to just west of Hwy 75, road closed. Traffic detoured on Highway 27.

Hwy 197 (Paul Bunyan Drive) in Bemidji, lane restrictions.

Hwy 371 in Walker, construction, lane restrictions.

Hwy 59, bridge replacement between Winger and Hwy 2, detour on county roads.

Central Minnesota

Hwy 169, construction at junction of Sherburne County Road 33 at north limits of Elk River. No traffic restrictions after noon Friday.

Hwy 10, construction at junction with Benton County Road 33 about two miles west of the junction of Hwy 15 west of St. Cloud. Northbound traffic using newly constructed ramps. Traffic switch, reduced speeds; expect delays.

Hwy 114 from north of Starbuck to south of Lowry, single-lane closures.

Hwy 28 in Stevens County, single lane closures.

Hwy 23 in Stearns County between Cold Spring and Richmond, lane shifts and reduced speed in Richmond for bridge widening work 24 hours, 7 days a week. Utility work and possible flagging operations for truck traffic in other areas. Flagging restrictions must be lifted by noon on Friday and may resume after 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

Southern Minnesota

Hwy 16 in Houston County, construction; detour between Co. Rd. 7 and Hwy 26

Hwy 23, construction between Willmar and New London, detour between County Road 9 and County Road 31, detour on county roads and Hwy 71.

Hwy 52, construction in Rochester between 85th St. NW and Hwy 63 (Broadway Avenue), lane restrictions, reduce speed limit.

Hwy 212/Hwy 15 intersection near Brownton, improvement work may extend into the weekend if delayed by rain.

Hwy 169/Hwy 19 interchange south of Belle Plaine, construction. Hwy 19 detoured, lane restrictions on Hwy 169.

Hwy 14, construction between Eagle Lake and Janesville, short detour.

Twin Cities Metro Area

I-494, construction continues eastbound and westbound between France Avenue and Highway 212. Two lanes open each direction.

I-94/I-694 from Hwy 52 in Brooklyn Center to the I-494 junction in Maple Grove, lane switches and lane closures.

Hwy 242, traffic detoured between Coon Creek Boulevard and Shenandoah Boulevard in Coon Rapids.

Hwy 100, construction continues from Glenwood Avenue to 50th Avenue N; a minimum of two lanes open in each direction.

Hwy 77 (Cedar Avenue), intermittent, non-rush hour lane and shoulder closures in both directions from I-494 south to 138th Avenue for bus-only shoulder rehabilitation through late October.

I-35E in St. Paul, ramp closed from northbound I-35E to Shepard Road.

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