Rice County Construction Season Begins This Week

The Rice County Highway Department says they are ready to begin a busy construction season this week, weather permitting.

Rice County Highway Engineer Dennis Luebbe says in a news release there are a number of projects they want to get done and here is the listing:

• Culvert Replacements and Rehabilitation of CSAH 11 (Roberds Lake Boulevard), CSAH 8 (130th Street East), CSAH 23 (Gates Avenue) and CSAH 48 (Lyndale Avenue): Replace or rehabilitate existing culverts in preparation for future pavement resurfacing projects. Work scheduled to begin in June and finished in August.
  What you can expect: Daily road closures, travel delays and the use of alternate routes.
  A failure of a culvert on CSAH 11 has required the closure of the roadway at the location and work on the failed culvert is scheduled to begin Monday, May 9.
• CSAH 46 (Bagley Avenue): Grading, pavement resurfacing and shoulder paving on 7 miles between Minnesota Highway 21 and CSAH 1 (Millersburg Boulevard).  Construction scheduled to begin in May and be finished in September. The road will be closed to thru traffic and detours will be posted.
• County Road 99 (245th Street West): Complete the pavement resurfacing on 3.6 miles between Le Sueur County line and Minnesota Highway 60 initiated last fall.  Constructed anticipated in June or July. The roadway will remain open to traffic, however single-lane closures and travel delay should be expected.
• CSAH 4 (Independence Avenue): Construction of the left turn lanes between CSAH 1 (100 Street West) and CSAH 1 (Millersburg Boulevard). Construction anticipated to begin in July or August. The roadway will remain open to traffic, however single-lane closures and travel delay should be expected.
• Culvert replacement on Lamb Avenue (Northfield Township): Culvert removal and replacement located just north of 150th Street East. Construction begins in August. The roadway will be closed and the use of alternate route should be expected.
• Culvert replacement on Decker Avenue (Bridgewater Township): Culvert removal and replacement about a half-mile south of Minnesota Highway 19 (Lonsdale Boulevard) over Heath Creek. Construction anticipated to begin in August. The roadway will be closed and the use of an alternate route should be expected.
• Culvert replacement on County Road 90 (255th Street East): Culvert removal and replacement between Ibson Avenue and Irwin Avenue. Construction anticipated to begin in September. The roadway will be closed and a detour route will be posted.
• Pavement chip seal, striping, miscellaneous culvert replacements, pavement overlays, and other maintenance projects requiring temporary road closures at various locations throughout the county are planned for the duration of the construction season.