Contacts
- John Bray
218-725-2708
Location
Minnesota Department of
Transportation
1123 Mesaba Ave.
Duluth, MN 55811
218-725-2800
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Short-term road closures on Hwy 169 west of Chisholm begin April 26
VIRGINIA, Minn. -- Hwy 169 motorists driving west of Chisholm will experience short-term road closures beginning April 26 as engineers document ground movement related to 100-year-old iron ore mining shafts beneath this stretch of roadway, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
This short-term job will be in two parts:
- April 26-27—Drivers using westbound Hwy 169 should anticipate occasional, daytime road closures under flagger control while engineers calibrate geo-acoustical seismic monitoring equipment.
- May 1-5—Motorists using eastbound and westbound Hwy 169 between North St. Louis County Road 5 to Chisholm should anticipate short-term road closures during nighttime hours.
In 2008, Mn/DOT District 1 crews discovered unusual ground slumps and dips at various locations along Hwy 169’s center median. Further investigation revealed the presence of distorted mine shafts.
In 2009 and 2010, as a preemptive safety measure, Mn/DOT built a $7.4 million reinforced concrete Hwy in this area. This “highway bridge” guarantees the highway’s resilience in the event of any subterranean volatility.
This geo-technical survey will establish baseline data that will help Mn/DOT track any future ground changes under the highway.