Original article published July 11, 2023 by MnDOT.
WILLMAR, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation received special funding through the Minnesota Legislature’s Corridors of Commerce program to build a quadrant interchange at the intersection of Highway 23 and Highway 9 in New London. MnDOT District 8 was awarded $33 million, which includes funding for the interchange, the realignment of Kandiyohi County Road 40, the design process, right of way acquisition, and construction contract administration.
Interchange and roundabout concepts were both being considered as a safety improvement for the intersection following an extensive community input process which concluded in December 2022. An interchange emerged as the favored concept by the community and Kandiyohi County applied for special funding from the Minnesota Legislature’s Corridors of Commerce program.
Corridors of Commerce funds are defined and made available by the Minnesota Legislature and are not part of MnDOT’s regular State Road Construction program. “Funding is awarded through a highly competitive application and scoring process,” said MnDOT District Engineer Jon Huseby, “and District 8 is excited and appreciative to receive this special funding which will make it possible to build an interchange in New London.”
MnDOT would like to thank the community, Advisory Group members, city of New London and Kandiyohi County for participating in the community input process for the Highway 23 safety improvement project. Participation and feedback helped to secure the special funding required to build an interchange.
MnDOT will move forward with plans to build the interchange and will continue to work with the community as more information becomes available including project timelines and intersection design. Some of the next steps will be the design phase and right of way acquisition period which typically takes four to five-plus years. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2028 and is expected to last two years.
For more information about the project, including the community input process, visit the project webpage or contact Ryan Barney, Project Manager, at 320-441-9524.
Project Updates from MnDOT
This Highway 23 project is slated to be design and right of way acquisition process 2023-2027. The construction of this project is projected to happen in 2028-2029. Stay updated with project updates as they are available from Minnesota Department of Transportation.