News Release

Bemidji, Mn. --- The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) is announcing that construction to improve T.H. 71 from Turtle River to approximately one mile north of Blackduck will get started on May 22nd. The work will consist of bituminous milling and overlay, center turn lanes and subsurface drainage.

According to Todd Vonasek, Mn/DOT Resident Engineer in Bemidji's construction office, "that portion of trunk highway 71 will be closed to through traffic beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22nd. " Vonasek added, "only local traffic will be permitted to drive through the construction area, anyone else attempting to drive around the barricades will be in violation of traffic safety laws pertaining to construction areas".

The official detour route for traffic traveling north will be: from T.H. 71, turn southeast on County Road 22, then northeast on Cty. Rd. 21 at Turtle River, then north on County Rd. 23 to the junction with County Rd. 32, east on Cty. Rd. 32 to Trunk Highway 72 and then south on County Rd. 47 to get back unto Trunk Highway 71 at Blackduck.

Mn/DOT advises drivers to slow down when approaching any construction area and keep alert to traffic signing instructions.