US 83 Expressway Near Vivian Opens

(Pierre) The southern nine miles of the 33 mile US 83 Expressway between Ft. Pierre and Interstate 90 opened to traffic yesterday, two weeks ahead of schedule. The completed part of the project includes four newly constructed and paved lanes north of Vivian.

Construction crews added the final touches to the project over the last few days. Last Wednesday they finished applying a seal coat over the new asphalt pavement to protect it from water intrusion. Yesterday morning they painted stripes on the lanes to make them ready for traffic in the afternoon.

The total cost of the project was $10.5 million with Foothills Contracting from Webster, South Dakota responsible for grading and W. Hodgman and Sons out of Fairmont, Minnesota handling the paving.

The entire expressway will eventually turn the existing 2-lane Highway 83 between Ft. Pierre and Interstate 90 into a four-lane highway. While the southern third is now finished, work continues on the northern section. Crews continue to build the additional two lanes just south of Ft. Pierre and are scheduled to complete that part of the project next year. Construction of the middle part of the expressway will begin next summer.

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