MN 60 work on schedule

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WORTHINGTON — Work on the Minnesota 60 four-lane expansion near Worthington moves into the next phase of construction today with new road closures and detours announced by R&G Construction, the Marshall-based contractor leading the project.

This particular phase of the project will affect traffic on Worthington’s east side, stretching from east of the King’s Wok restaurant to just beyond the Blue Line Travel Center. Minnesota 60 westbound lanes will be closed, with traffic shifted to the eastbound lanes.

The Interstate 90 westbound lanes will be closed at Minnesota 60, which will mean travelers headed west on I-90 will need to use the U.S. 59 ramps instead.

This traffic pattern will remain in place until early September, at which time the traffic will be shifted to the westbound lanes so the eastbound lanes can be rebuilt with a new storm sewer system underneath.

The storm sewer project will consist of 48-inch pipe that will drain the area under the railroad bridge, which has always been prone to flooding.

That phase of the project is hoped to be completed by July 31, 2013, with the contractor earning an incentive for completing the work by then, according to Bob Williams, Minnesota Department of Transportation District 7 project engineer.

Multiple projects are ongoing, with concrete paving now completed from just south of the Hwy 59-60 juncture to just north of Worthington Ag Parts.

“We expect the bituminous paver to come in later this month to pave the shoulder,” Williams said, adding that edge drain installation, which will pull water away from the concrete, will be completed today.

The newly paved portion of the highway will open to local traffic only in late August, with the detour south of Worthington on County State Aid Highways 4 and 5 continuing through November.

A shortcut used by some travelers, via Nobles County 57, was closed about a mile south of town this week as construction crews move closer to Worthington with paving.

“They’re in the earth work stage now and we expect them to be ready for paving later this summer,” Williams said. That work will also include the paving of the first roundabout, located near Worthington Power and Equipment at CSAH 35.

Williams said the project is on schedule and paced for total completion in November 2013.

The greatest delay has been in the completion of the railroad bridge project. The girders expected to arrive last fall were delayed until April because of last summer’s Minnesota government shutdown, and it’s now July and the girders have yet to arrive.

“We’re hoping they will show up at the end of July — that’s the latest schedule from the steel company,” Williams said. Since the company manufacturing the steel, Lejeune Steel, missed the April deadline, Williams said it is responsible for paying $1,000 per calendar day in liquidated damages for each day the shipment is delayed.

The new goal for completion of the railroad bridge is mid-December.

“There will be a number of traffic changes this fall yet,” Williams said. “Pay attention to signs and be alert.”

Daily Globe Reporter Julie Buntjer may be reached at 376-7330.

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