Willmar,
Minn. - The Minnesota Department of Transportation office in Willmar
announced today that beginning Monday (March 19), motorists may
encounter delays on Civic Center Drive due to the bridge construction.
Motorists are
reminded to slow down for their safety and the safety of the workers
as construction of the bridge resumes. Lakeview Construction, Glenwood,
Minn, is the prime contractor of the bridge construction.
Construction
of the new bridge began September 5, 2000. This is the first phase
of construction to complete the Highway 71/23 bypass at Willmar
to its original design as a four-lane with diamond interchanges
between junction15th Street and north junction Highway 71.
Plans call to
pave the previously graded northbound lanes and to construct the
diamond interchanges this summer. Interchanges are planned at south
junction Highway 71, Highway 12, Civic Center Drive and north junction
71. An interchange at Willmar Ave. is also being considered in the
near future as a project sponsored by Kandiyobi County and the city
of Willmar.
The bypass was
constructed as a two-lane highway due to a financial crisis in the
early 1980's. At that time, the northbound lanes were left unpaved
and the bypass interchanges were designed for a two-lane highway.
