REGIONAL— Spring is coming and that means road construction can’t be far behind. This week, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced its line-up of nearly 200 road construction projects it has planned for the upcoming construction season.
Unlike in some recent years, the project list in northern St. Louis and Lake counties is limited, but some projects are likely to significantly impact area motorists, particularly those who regularly travel to Mesabi Iron Range cities.
A six-mile-long resurfacing of Hwy. 53 in the Virginia area is likely to have the most significant impact. The $5.5 million project will include resurfacing and culvert replacement on both sides of the divided highway, starting at S 2nd Ave. on Virginia’s south end, to 0.1 mile north of the Forest Service wayside rest north of Virginia. Four ramps along the stretch, located at the intersection with Hwy. 169, will also be resurfaced. Work on the project is expected to get underway in July and continue into September. Drivers can expect lane and ramp closures once work gets underway.
A $14.87 million resurfacing of nearly 16 miles of Hwy. 169 between Mt. Iron and Chisholm is the most expensive project planned in northeastern Minnesota outside Duluth. The project is expected to get underway in mid-May and could continue into October. The contractor will be utilizing a “cold in-place recycling” process in which the top 3-4 inches of existing pavement is milled up and remixed with fresh asphalt binder before being reapplied.
In International Falls, MnDOT is planning a $3.5 million project to install a new roundabout at the intersection of Hwy. 53 and County Rd. 332. That project is slated to get underway June 5.
A $350,000 culvert replacement along Hwy. 135, about 1.3 miles south of County Rd. 26, is the only other planned project in northern St. Louis County. That work is scheduled to get underway June 17.
MnDOT is urging travelers to slow down for construction work zones as road projects get underway later this year. The 2024 construction season includes 193 planned road and bridge projects, plus 54 projects that will improve airports, water ports, railroad crossings and transit infrastructure.
“Drivers throughout Minnesota can expect to see more work zones, more orange cones, more closed lanes, and more people working along the road wearing their high-visibility gear,” said Transportation Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger.  “We need everyone on the road to work together to keep our crews, and yourselves, safe in work zones. When we all slow down and obey work zone speed limits, set aside our cell phones and other distractions, plan ahead and remain patient, we become safer together as we share the limited space inside work zones.”
Safety in work zones
Motorists should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including lane closures, lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, slow-moving heavy equipment and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must:  
• Obey posted speed limits. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
• Drive undistracted. Avoid using cell phones, mobile devices, adjusting the radio – even eating –while in work zones.
• Move over. Give workers room to safely complete their work.
• Know before you go. Get real-time information about traffic and road conditions at www.511mn.org or get the free 511mn smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
• Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
• Do the zipper merge.
• Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
• Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
Travelers can use several online tools to plan ahead for construction impacts like detours and lane closures.
Visit mndot.gov/construction for the statewide view of the 2024 construction season’s projects. The site includes interactive maps linking to more detailed construction project websites, full project lists and other information.