Original article published April 10, 2024 by Hope Murray from the Kanabec County Times.
Construction season is already underway on roads across Minnesota.
Closer to home, plans are in place on a 12-mile stretch of Highway 23 from Milaca to Ogilvie, but a start date is still not firm.
According to LeAnn Goltz, Central Region communications officer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, a contractor has been chosen and detours are in place.
“Tentatively, the project will be starting in mid-May and the contractor will be Knife River (Construction),” she said.
MnDOT will resurface and improve those 12 miles of road from Milaca to east of Ogilvie, including shoulders, underground drainage structures and updates to access. The project will require detours (see map).
Access updates include:
- Realigning 100th Avenue/Mille Lacs County Road 101 east of Milaca and install left turn lanes on Highway 23; and
- Install left turn lanes on Highway 23 at 90th Avenue/Mille Lacs County Road 144.
Drainage structures to be replaced include:
- Pipe between 78th Avenue and 165th Street, west of Bock;
- Box bridge east of Cable Street/Kanabec County Road 52, east of Bock; and
- Box bridge at South Fork Groundhouse River between 50th Avenue and Bear Street, east of Bock.
Motorists can expect lane closures, alternate one-way traffic, flaggers, a pilot car and reduced speed limits.
Detours to replace drainage structures:
- Milaca to Bock detour: Mille Lacs Co. Rd. 2, Co. Rd. 4 and Co. Rd. 1 (about 9 weeks)
- Bock to Ogilvie: Mille Lacs Co. Rd. 24, Kanabec Co. Rd. 26 and Hwy 47 (about 6 weeks)
Access will be open to those who live, work or visit those along the work zone; however, expect changes and use of alternate accesses.