Road Report: Sept. 5, 2023

Construction season is here, and so is our weekly look at what projects are done, where you’ll find traffic impacts and what’s scheduled next.

What’s done

Minnesota Avenue: The first phase of the Minnesota Avenue reconstruction project, which stretches from Russell to Second streets, is complete with the installation and activation of accent lighting.

The accent lighting, which is managed by the city’s Light and Power Division of Public Works, will display colors on federal holidays. Its first display will be red, white, and blue in recognition of Labor Day on Sept. 4.

Minnesota Avenue accent lighting will follow the same schedule as the Eighth Street Bridge in downtown Sioux Falls.

Accent lighting, which includes wings on the streetlights, retaining wall panels and pedestrian lighting, is illuminated every evening between sunset and sunrise. On nonholiday evenings, the lighting will be white.

For the seven days surrounding a federal holiday, the lights will be lit in coordination with that holiday. Overhead streetlights will not change colors because of public safety.

What’s underway

Sixth Street: Work continues to progress on the East Sixth Street concrete rehabilitation and asphalt overlay project.

Permanent pavement markings have been applied to the completed asphalt overlay.

Concrete repairs are complete in the westbound lanes between Sycamore Avenue and Linwood Court.

The contractor has finished the partial depth repairs and is working on full-depth concrete repairs along with curb and gutter repairs in the eastbound lanes between Linwood Court and Sycamore Avenue.

The project is scheduled to be completed by early November.

57th Street: Mainline paving has been completed on the 57th Street expansion project from Veterans Parkway to Sparta Avenue.

The contractor is working on the median and sidewalk for the project.

The expansion of 57th Street in this area aims to accommodate future growth on the southeast side of Sioux Falls.

The work is expected to be completed later this fall.

26th Street: Work continues to progress along 26th Street between Cleveland and Alpine avenues.

The contractor has completed the ADA ramps along the south side.

Edge milling was performed so the asphalt overlay will match the gutter, and asphalt paving is underway.

The south half of the intersections of 26th Street between Cleveland and Alpine avenues will be closed intermittently this week during the paving. Detours will be in place during the major intersection closures. East 26th Street traffic going east and west will be maintained for the duration of the closures.

Once paving is completed, the contractor will spend another week or so to do manhole adjustments before moving to the north side of 26th Street.

The project is scheduled to be completed in mid-November.

City parks: Improvements are underway at city parks too.

Both Farm Field at 57th Street and Western Avenue and Legacy Park near 12th Street and Sertoma Avenue have parking lots that are about doubling in size.

Work is scheduled to be done by mid-September.

Cliff Avenue: The outside southbound lane on Cliff Avenue is closed north of Otonka Trail to allow crews to perform a concrete pavement repair. One southbound lane will be maintained during construction. Weather permitting, this work is anticipated to be complete this week.

What’s next 

Highway 130: Beginning today, Minnehaha County Highway 130, also known as 258th Street, will be closed at Marion Road, also known as 471st Avenue, to allow construction crews to widen and resurface the highway. Drivers should use 60th Street North as an alternate route. This closure is anticipated to extend into October.

Lewis Avenue: Beginning today, Lewis Avenue will be closed for crews to install utilities and perform grading work. Motorists will be detoured around the closure via Benson Road and Postdam Avenue, and access will be maintained to businesses throughout the project. The closure will be in place through Friday. Lewis Avenue will be reopened to traffic on a gravel surface.

Pasley Park: Beginning today, Pasley Park will be closed to vehicle traffic. The park will remain open via pedestrian/bike access from the bike trail. Improvements will be made to the existing parking lot. Weather permitting, the parking lot will be reopened by Sept. 18.

Cliff Avenue: Beginning today, the outside northbound lane of Cliff Avenue will be closed at various locations between 10th and Rice streets to allow crews to perform concrete repairs. Each repair location will be limited to a block or two and will move north as the work progresses. Weather permitting, this work is anticipated to be complete within two weeks.

I-29 & 41st: Beginning at 7 p.m. today, lane closures are planned for northbound Interstate 29 at the 41st Street intersection. The lane closures will remain in place through 6 a.m. Wednesday. During the evening and overnight hours, two-way traffic will be maintained in the southbound lanes of I-29 while crews remove the canopy from under the bridge deck to prepare for the next phase of work.

I-229 & Benson: The Interstate 229 southbound off-ramp will be closed at the Benson Road diverging diamond interchange project from Thursday through Oct. 11. During the closure, crews will be performing utility, grading and concrete surfacing work. While the closure is in place, I-229 off-ramp traffic will be detoured around the project via Interstate 90, Cliff Avenue, Rice Street and I-229. Benson Road will remain open from Cliff Avenue to I-229, and access will be maintained to businesses throughout the project. The overall completion date for this project is June 2025.