Road Report: Week of Aug. 23, 2021

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

What’s Done

Sidewalk repair work on Cliff Avenue between 12th Street and 14th Street is complete.

Ralph Rogers Road from Sweetbriar Drive to Minnesota Avenue has temporarily reopened. It will need to close again in a few weeks when concrete paving occurs on Minnesota Avenue.

Replacement of the railroad crossing north of 10th Street on Valley View Road is complete, and Valley View Road is open to traffic.

Concrete repairs at various locations on Minnesota Avenue north of Russell Street will be complete and open to traffic early this week.

What’s Underway

The South Dakota Department of Transportation is paving on I-229 between Western Avenue and Louise Avenue.

At least one lane in each direction will remain open, but delays are expected. The ramps at Western Avenue and Louise Avenue may also be closed periodically during paving operations. Work is expected to take another week or two.

Asphalt Overlay Program

Asphalt overlays are a street maintenance method that extends the life of an asphalt street at a fraction of the cost of reconstruction

An asphalt overlay generally consists of milling, or grinding, the top 2″ of asphalt off of a street and replacing it with a new 2-inch layer of asphalt.

The asphalt overlay provides a new wearing course at the surface of the street and improves the ride experienced by motorists.

Areas receiving an asphalt overlay often have curb and gutter repairs, spot utility repairs, and accessible curb ramp improvements performed in advance of the overlay. Streets generally remain open to traffic during concrete and utility work. However, during paving operations, streets will be closed and traffic detoured accordingly.

This year’s asphalt overlay program is mostly focused on neighborhood streets, but major streets scheduled for an asphalt overlay this year include Marion Road between 41st Street and 57th Street (already complete), Tomar Road between Cliff Avenue and 61st Street (already complete), and 37th Street between Grange Avenue and Duluth Avenue (coming soon).

In 2021, the city will be milling and overlaying 202 blocks of asphalt streets. Check this interactive map showing the current status.

What’s Next

Oxbow Avenue will be closed at 49th Street beginning Tuesday morning to allow concrete paving to occur on 49th Street. Oxbow Avenue is expected to reopen in approximately one week. Traffic on 49th Street will be maintained.