News Release

Bemidji, Mn. -- The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) is notifying motorists that a project to upgrade the railroad crossing circuitry and replace the gate arms at the Northern Plains Rail crossing on US Trunk Highway 59 just north of Thief River Falls is scheduled to begin at 7:00 A.M. on Wednesday, May 4th, and is expected to last approximately two weeks.

According to Mike Kamnikar, Mn/DOT Project Engineer, the majority of the work will be performed off of the roadway using the shoulders of the highway and right-of-way to park equipment, unload materials, and assemble the signals, masts and gates. Kamnikar said, "Through lanes will be kept open except for short periods of up to 5 minutes when the cantilevered signals are set."

Mn/DOT, along with Northern Plains Railroad will have signing in place for the duration of the project and flaggers on site for the temporary closures. Motorists are asked to slow down and drive with patience through the work zone.

For updated road condition information in Minnesota, dial 511 or log on to www.511mn.org.

See ORANGE.

We’re in the WORK ZONE Together