Hwy 71 South Project

 

Schedule

• Start date: June 14, 2010
• End date: October 2011

 

Status

• Construction resumed May 2011
  
  

Cost

• $24 million

Traffic impacts

• Be alert to lane restrictions, slowing and turning traffic, intermittent flagging operations, equipment and workers

 

Benefits

• Additional lanes to carry increased traffic
• Improved safety by adding turn lanes and adjusting access opening locations

 

Description

The U.S. Hwy 71/Hwy 197 expansion project extends approximately 6 miles in length from Hubbard County Road 9 to the north end of Bridge 04012 over U.S. Hwy 2 and on Hwy 197 from Bridge 04012 north to 7th Street in Bemidji.

The project consists of adding additional right and left turn lanes, adjusting access opening locations and increasing capacity from two lanes to four lanes in a three mile section.

 

The second year phase of this project is scheduled from June 20 – October 2011. The project area is from the north end of the bridge, south to North Plantagenet Road and includes some new entrances, turning lanes, bituminous reclamation, paving and rehabilitation of the existing bridge.

 

A new bridge has been constructed over U.S. Hwy.2, adding additional capacity and improving safety at intersections for turning traffic. The new bridge is open to traffic, the old bridge is being rehabilitated.