Road Construction Projects Begin in the Pierre Area

PIERRE --  Travelers in and around Pierre will see several road construction projects in the next several months.

US 83 Expressway

The US 83 Expressway project continues to progress south out of Ft. Pierre toward I-90 with the grading of two new lanes.  The entire stretch of new 4-lane highway will be completely graded by the fall of this year, with the asphalt surfacing to be done in 2005.  Traffic is being maintained through the project with little hindrance.  A-G-E Corporation of Ft. Pierre is the grading contractor.

Highway 34 to Farm Island

Beginning the week of May 24, Highway 34 from Pierce Avenue to the Farm Island road in Pierre will be re-constructed to add turning lanes, concrete pavement with a raised median from Pierce Ave. to Cleveland Ave., asphalt pavement from Cleveland Ave. to the Farm Island road, a new bike path away from the highway and a new signalized intersection where the truck route meets SD34 near Beck Motors.  Traffic will be maintained through the project head-to-head on one side of the divided highway while work progresses on the other side.  A 10 foot width restriction will be in effect during the construction of this project, with a detour provided around the Oahe Dam.  The first phase of work will put traffic on the south two lanes while the truck route intersection is reconstructed.  Access will be available to the truck route and all businesses at all times.  More information will be made available as each phase of work commences, as well as any traffic flow changes anticipated.  Completion of the project is expected by October 29^th of this year.  T&R Contracting of Sioux Falls is the Prime Contractor for this project.

Lighting

Roadway lighting is currently being installed along the truck route from the SD34 intersection north to Buffalo Street as part of a separate contract.  The SD1804 and US14/US83 intersection at the north end of Euclid Ave. will also be lighted as part of this project being built by Logan Electric of Gettysburg.  Traffic is being maintained with some outside lane closures expected on the truck route as the light pole footings are constructed.

1804/83 Intersection

Preliminary work has begun on the reconstruction of  the SD1804 and US14/US83 intersection.  Once this grading work is done, the intersection and the US14/US83 divided highway will be resurfaced with asphalt concrete from Euclid Ave. east to the concrete pavement.  In addition, the truck route will be resurfaced with asphalt from the divided highway south through the Airport Road intersection.  Morris, Inc. of Ft. Pierre has this contract.  Traffic is maintained through the project with flaggers and pilot car with minor delays expected.

SD 73 Resurfacing

SD73 from Philip north to SD34 is being resurfaced with asphalt concrete.  Work has begun to process the existing surface to prepare it for paving.  Traffic will be maintained using flaggers and a pilot car with minor delays anticipated.  Anderson Western of Bismarck, ND is the prime contractor for this project.  This project also involves the same type of work on SD240 from I-90 south to the Badlands Park.

US 14 & US 83 Resurfacing

Later this summer US14 will be resurfaced with asphalt concrete from the concrete pavement east of Blunt east to the Hyde County line, and US83 will be surfaced with asphalt from US212 north to the Walworth County line.  Border States Paving of Fargo, ND will be the prime contractor for each of these projects.

For more information on these projects, contact the Pierre Area DOT office at 605-773-5294.

- 30 -