|
It's been one week since the detour was installed and construction work began on Highway 34 between County Road 29 and Osage! Crews hit the ground running, with the culvert sites prepped and ready for replacement.
Thru-traffic: If you don't have a destination on Highway 34, please take the detour route on County Road 47, Highway 87 and County Road 29. From one end of the project to the other, the detour could add 20 extra miles to your drive; however, long delays and closures within the work zone on Highway 34 will cause major impacts to travel time. Please plan accordingly.
 Current progress and schedule
For the rest of this week and next week, crews will be working on culverts between County Road 29 and County Road 39. The work is a moving operation, crews will move east after each culvert is done. Each culvert replacement is anticipated to take approximately one to three days—this varies depending on location.
There are 11 culvert replacements total, plus the large box culvert/bridge at the Shell River. Culverts 1-9 fall between County Road 29 and County Road 39. Culverts 10-11 are located east of Hanna Ore Road.
Crews completed the first culvert replacement yesterday, and plan to finish the second one today. Then, on Monday, July 17, they'll begin work on culvert three, which is located east of County Road 56. They'll continue east as each culvert is completed.
Local traffic impacts and changes
Please note: in the areas where crews are working, the culvert site is impassable. If you must travel on Highway 34 to get to your destination, be aware that your route and access will change daily based on where the crews are located.
Please obey the flaggers. The detour is the best route for those who do not have a destination on Highway 34—it will save you time instead of trying to find alternate ways around. Flaggers will direct you back to the detour if your destination doesn't fall within the work zone.
The change in staging for the culvert replacements (originally planned to be done half at a time) was proposed by the contractor for safety concerns for both the traveling public and the workers. In addition, closing the road at each culvert will allow them to get through this work quicker.
We apologize for the inconvenience, and appreciate your patience and cooperation in keeping the work zone safe.
Schedule snapshot
- Next two weeks: Culvert replacements between CR 29 and CR 39
- Starting week of July 24 (tentatively): Culvert replacements between CR 39 and Shell River
- Early August: Hard closure at Shell River for box culvert/bridge replacement (lasting 5 weeks)
- Early August: Paving begins, with daily lane closures and flaggers/pilot cars
All schedules and work plans are subject to change at any time based on weather, contractor schedules or other unforeseen circumstances or issues.
For more information about the project, visit the project website.
For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
|
