MnDOT to host construction open house

• Demo on MN 60

Daily Globe File Photo In this July 9 file photo, Jay Jeppesen of Jeppesen Gravel, Bigelow, uses a backhoe to demolish a home on Morningside Drive as part of the preparation for Phase 2 of the MN-60 construction in Worthington.

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — With construction of the $120 million four-lane expansion of Minnesota 60 from Bigelow to Worthington to begin in just two weeks, officials with the Minnesota Department of Transportation will host an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 12, in the Farmer’s Room of the Nobles County Government Center, 315 10th St., Worthington.

The event will include the latest information about the project — from driveway access for those who live along the affected portion of the highway to detours and drainage information, according to MnDOT District 7 public information officer Rebecca Arndt.

“We’re going to keep it really informal,” she said, adding that numerous MnDOT representatives will be on hand to respond to the public’s questions. Those working with rights-of-way issues along the highway will also be present.

While Arndt said there have been no major changes to the plans for the three-phase construction project that will continue through 2013, MnDOT officials continue to fine-tune the final design within the city of Worthington.

Phase One, which extends from the Bigelow bypass to Paul Avenue, will continue through 2011. Traffic will not need to be detoured until next spring.

“For the most part, the contractor will be busy constructing the northbound land and the access road for the remainder of (this) summer and as far into fall as allowed,” said Arndt.

Beginning next spring, Minnesota 60 traffic will then be detoured to Nobles County State Aid Highways 4 and 5 as work on Phase One continues and construction on Phase Two from Paul Avenue to CSAH 35 begins.

Work on this first phase of the four-lane expansion project was delayed a month when an error was discovered in the project plans after it was sent out for bid. After the corrections were made, it was rebid and Mathiowetz Construction of Sleepy Eye submitted the acceptable bid for Phase One at nearly $17.81 million.

Arndt said they will need some dry weather to make up for the lost time and still accomplish what they need to before winter.

MN 60 resurfacing planned

At the same time construction crews begin work on the four-lane expansion project south of Worthington, crews will begin milling off the eastbound lane of Minnesota 60 from I-90 at Worthington to Wilder. The road will be resurfaced and additional lighting will be erected at intersections along the route. Arndt said the project will extend from Aug. 16 through early October.

During the construction, Minnesota 60 will be reduced to two lanes using the existing westbound portion of the highway.

Tags: news, worthington, construction, 60, four-lane