TRAVELING NEWS

CITY OF BEMIDJI:

Starting June 9, 2014, 1st St SE will be closed to traffic from Stoner Ave SE to Lake Ave SE. Detour will be Gould Ave SE. This is Phase 1 which will be completed in two weeks. Phase 2 will see Lake Ave SE, between 1st St E to Roosevelt Rd SE, closed to thro traffic with minimal access for residents who live on Lake Ave SE. Working hours each day will be 7AM-7PM Monday through Friday with some Saturdays. During the construction project please contact the City of Bemidji at 218-333-1853 or 1852 or Reierson Construction, 218-751-3796, with any questions.

FROM MNDOT:

Detour on Highway 2/71 along the Bemidji bypass begins June 6

BEMIDJI, Minn. – Motorists on Trunk Highway (TH) 2/71 in northwestern Minnesota will experience a detour from Friday, June 6 through Monday, June 9 as crews remove the bridge deck of the 15th Street Bridge over the Bemidji bypass. Later this summer, there will be a need to shift traffic on the TH 2 bypass at the bridge site in order to construct the new bridge deck.

The detour for westbound traffic on TH 2 and northbound TH 71 will follow 5th Street (County Road 7) west to Adams Street (County Road 11) north, following it to its junction with TH 2 and the airport road. Northbound TH 71 and eastbound TH 197 traffic will then proceed east on TH 2. Eastbound TH 2 and southbound TH 71 will follow the detour in the opposite direction.

15th Street over TH 2/71 will also experience a long-term detour beginning on June 4 when the 15th Street bridge closes.

The detour of 15th Street from the east (Bemidji) will follow 15th Street west to Middle School Drive north, follow TH 197 west onto TH 2, and then Adams Avenue (County Road 11) south. This detour will end in late August, weather permitting.

Highway 371/200 traffic in Walker to be detoured weekdays through June 20 Road re-opens during weekends

BEMIDJI, Minn. –Traffic on Highway 371/200 in northwestern Minnesota will be detoured weekdays now through Friday, June 20, as crews widen the highway and install a pedestrian tunnel. The roadway will re-open from noon on Fridays through Sunday.

On weekdays, the detour will direct local traffic onto Walker Bay Boulevard and Garden Street adjacent to Leech Lake. Through-traffic and trucks entering Walker from the south will follow Ah-Gwah-Ching Road west to Highway 34 north to its junction with Highway 371/200.

The project is a cooperative effort between the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the U.S. Forest Service, the city of Walker and Cass County. Work includes the widening of Highway 371/200 to provide center and right-turn lanes at the Chippewa Ranger District Office and Walker Bay Boulevard. It also will install a pedestrian tunnel to provide a safe and convenient crossing of the highway.

Although Highway 371/200 will be open to traffic on weekends, MnDOT reminds motorists that they are travelling in a work zone and should stay alert and follow posted speeds.