About this project
Update
Traffic will be detoured on southbound Hwy 43/Mankato Ave. from East Belleview St. to Sarnia St. from May 4 to May 10 for concrete work.
The detour for the closure has traffic going east on East Sanborn Ave., south on Louisa St., west on Frontenac Drive and then back to Hwy 43/Mankato Ave.
In addition, traffic on northbound Hwy 43/Mankato Ave. trying to access westbound Sarnia St. at the roundabout will be detoured from May 4 to May 10. Traffic should continue north on Mankato Ave., turn left (west) on East Sixth St. and then back to Hwy 43/Main St.
Once the southbound work is finished, there will be a few more days of concrete work that will take place. Hwy 43 northbound traffic trying to access northbound Mankato Ave. at the roundabout will be detoured.
Landscaping work is also taking place and it is anticipated that it will be finished the week of June 5, weather permitting.
Want to know more about roundabouts?
Pedestrian safety at roundabouts
Watch this video for tips and how pedestrian crossings and traffic work.
Additional resources
Below are additional resources that explain roundabout benefits and tips to navigate them safely.
- Navigating a Multi-Lane Roundabout (video)
- Minnesota Roundabout Resources (MnDOT website includes videos, brochures, research, examples)
- How Roundabouts Work (WisDOT website includes videos, brochures, FAQ)
Summary of work
Reconstruction of Hwy 43/Mankato Ave. from Sugar Loaf View to Belleview St. began on April 11 with the majority of work completed late November 2022. This includes adding roundabouts at the following intersections: Hwy 61, Riverbend Rd., Frontenac Dr., and Sarnia St. Portions of Sarnia St. will also be reconstructed. You can learn more about roundabouts and how to navigate them here.
Reasons for reconstruction
MnDOT reconstructed this stretch of Hwy 43 to improve safety and decrease congestion. Thousands of residents, commuters and business owners rely on the 3/4 mile stretch of Hwy 43/Mankato Ave. between Sugar Loaf View and Bellview St. in Winona each day.
This stretch of road needed to be improved. There have been 120 crashes at the Hwy 61 and Hwy 43 intersection over the past 10 years which is the second-highest crash rate for any stretch in southeast Minnesota. People traveling on this road also experienced longer-than-average delays and traffic back-ups during rush hour. Meanwhile, pedestrians and bicyclists had a difficult time crossing the road.
Stages of construction
- Created one lane of traffic in each direction on Hwy 61. There was also work on the north side of Sarnia St.
- Reconstructed a significant portion of the Hwy 61/Hwy 43 intersection as well as the eastbound lanes on Hwy 61, East Lake Blvd., the west side of Mankato Ave. from Sugar Loaf View to Frontenac Dr. and the east side of Mankato Ave. from Frontenac Dr. to Belleview St.
- Work occurred adjacent to the main roadways and a portion of the box culvert located just south of Sarnia St. at Gilmore Creek was replaced
- Reconstructed the east side of Mankato Ave. from Sugar Loaf View to Frontenac Dr., the west side of Mankato Ave. from Frontenac Dr. to Belleview St. and the south side of Sarnia St.
- Minor work occurred along the highways including median treatments and roundabout center island landscaping.
In addition, final minor construction will take take place in the spring of 2023.