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Highway 59, south of the Highway 108 east/W Mill intersection, is open for all traffic! There's still more to come in this two-year construction project, but we are excited to reach this exciting milestone.
We want give a very big THANK YOU to the businesses in Stages 1A and 1B for your patience and support throughout these first stages.
 Hwy 59 south Hwy 108 east/W Mill roundabout reopened to all traffic this week
Week 17 construction progress
On the south side of the project, Stages 1A and 1B are officially reopened to all traffic! There's still some miscellaneous items to complete in this section over the next few weeks, so please watch for workers and give them space to finish up their work.
Work continues north of the bridge, where crews are installing storm sewer and finishing up work on individual services. They'll be starting replacements in Stage 2A next (Third Ave NE to Fifth Ave NE), and will begin hooking up temporary waterlines for those who will be impacted by that work.
Once utility work is completed north of the bridge through the Highway 108 west intersection, concrete crews will come back on-site to start working on curb and gutter and concrete paving for the road and second roundabout.
Remember: businesses are open! Business access is being maintained, but please check in with your destination on the best way to get to them. To access businesses on the northeast side of town, please use Fifth Avenue NE.
 Crews continue underground utility replacements in Stage 1C & 2A
 View of the drop off lane in front of the school
 View from the City's live camera, north of the bridge, as crews continue utility work.
- Paving, striping, signs in Stages 1A and 1B
- Highway 59 south reopened to all traffic!
- Finish cleanup and other miscellaneous work in Stages 1A and 1B
- Continue storm sewer replacements in Stage 1C
- Begin utility work in Stage 2A (Third Ave N to Fifth Ave NE)
What's next
MnDOT and the contractor are continuing discussions on the proposal to start working on Highway 108 east this year (Stages 4A-C). There are still some details to finalize, but we expect that work to start in late August in Stage 4A, from the east leg of the roundabout up to Fourth Street. We're still working with the city to determine the exact in-town detour route. We should have more information to share next week.
Why the change to staging?
There are a few reasons the contractor has proposed going east instead of north this year:
The remaining work on Highway 59 (Stages 2B and 2C, north of Fifth Avenue NE), is to be done one side at a time to allow for one lane of traffic at all times. This means the section we are currently in, Stages 1C and 2A, needs to be completed and paved before we can move north. Therefore, the utility crews would have no work to do for at least 3-4 weeks. With over 20+ blocks of city utility replacements in this project, the contractor proposed starting in Stage 4A to keep the crews on-site and to maintain consistent progress.
Another reason for the change is because winter is coming. At this time in the construction season, MnDOT and the contractor have to weigh where we are, what we have left and how winter weather could impact that work. By moving east instead of north this year, there are better options for stopping points if winter arrives early.
The goal is no gravel, no barricades and no detours by the time winter arrives.
We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause. For questions, please call the helpline 218-517-9848 to talk to the community liaison, Brent Frazier, or contact MnDOT -- we're here to help!
Join us weekly on Wednesdays for in-person updates!
You can join us at the Pelican Rapids Public Library each Wednesday, noon to 12:30 p.m., for weekly in-person construction updates. Business liaison Brent Frazier, and representatives from MnDOT and Landwehr Construction will be there to share updates and answer questions!
*Meetings are subject to change based on interest and attendance.
If you have a question about the project, but can't make it to the weekly meetings, please call the project Helpline 218-517-9848 at any time.
Safety & detour reminders
We have detour routes set up for every type of road user. Trucks and thru-traffic should follow the signed routes out of town, city residents and visitors can follow the in-town detour route, and if you are walking, biking or rolling through town, please follow the signed pedestrian routes. We know it may be inconvenient at times, and you may need to walk a block or two out of the way to get around, but your cooperation is important for your safety.
Pelican Rapids businesses are OPEN during construction, so follow the various detours to best navigate around the work zone and stop in to support them! To access businesses on the northeast side of town, please use Fifth Avenue NE.
If you don't have a destination in Pelican Rapids and want to avoid backups, we advise using the thru-traffic/truck routes out of town to get to the lakes or other destinations. See the thru-traffic map at top of the email for the thru-traffic route options, depending on your direction of travel.
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Signing up for this project email list is just one way to stay informed during construction. There are several different ways you can find information or get your questions answered:
- For construction questions, call the project Helpline: 218-517-9848 or send an email to Th59-108@landwehrconstruction.com. Brent Frazier is serving as the community liaison for the project.
- Join us at the Public Library each Wednesday, noon to 12:30 p.m., for weekly in-person construction updates. View current and past recordings of the in-person updates.
- Check the project website for project information, construction updates and MnDOT contacts -- we're here to help!
- Join the MnDOT District 4 | West Central Minnesota Facebook group.
- We'll be working closely with the Pelican Rapids Press to get updates into your local newspaper, and if you have Facebook, follow the Pelican Rapids City Page, Pelican Rapids Chamber, and Pelican Rapids: Find Your Path for updates, too!
- The city has set up cameras in downtown Pelican Rapids, so you can check in on the construction progress live! Go to the Pelican Rapids city website for links to the cameras.
All construction activities and traffic impacts are weather dependent and subject to change. MnDOT urges motorists to always be attentive, drive with caution, slow down in work zones where workers are present, and never enter an area that's blocked by barriers or cones.
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