Hwy 61 Little Manitou Culvert
SP 3808-44, Letting: summer, 2027
Purpose
The existing 72-inch corrugated metal culvert carrying the Little Manitou River under Highway 61 is in poor condition and no longer provides reliable capacity. Storm damage in 2024 left the inlet buckled and reduced the pipe’s ability to pass water and debris. Emergency repairs completed in 2025 helped stabilize the inlet and outlet, but they did not address the overall deterioration or the long-term hydraulic concerns. As a result, the culvert remains vulnerable to plugging, flooding, and potential damage to the roadway. The site is remote and difficult to reach, with steep slopes, work occurring directly in the stream channel, and no practical highway detour to facilitate construction or if the road were to fail. Because of these constraints, the project needs a replacement solution that can be safely constructed under these constraints while ensuring the river can pass flows, sediment, and debris without threatening the road. The goal of the project is to install a new culvert system that restores reliable river conveyance under Highway 61 and protects the roadway for the long term.
Procurement schedule
- Request for Letters of Interest
- RFQ: Jan. 2027
- RFP: spring 2027
- Letting: summer 2027
- Construction: fall 2027 through summer 2028
Information
Oversight
- Design and construction post-letting oversight will utilize consultant contracts