Watch for these major road projects in 2023

Once the snow finally melts, get ready for a lot of orange barrels to spring up in its place.

The season ahead will bring major road projects on all sides of Sioux Falls and within the core of the city.

Overall, the construction plan, which includes city- and state-funded projects, is “much larger” than 2022, said Mark Cotter, the city’s public works director.

“We typically like, in a good year, to start road construction as early as April 1, but I don’t see that this year,” he said. “We’ll have some that get started, but for the most part, it’s going to trail to midmonth.”

Once the weather finally cooperates, here’s a look at some of the key projects you’ll see under construction this year.

Sixth Street Bridge

This major downtown project got an early start to the season.

“They wanted to get in the river before the melting started to get the structure removed, so that was dependent on beating the weather,” Cotter said. “It’s going really well. Journey has some very strong subcontractors to deliver that project, and I think we’ll just see progressive work each month throughout the course of this year.”

The full project to replace the bridge and add additional streetscape features such as lighting and landscaping won’t be done until sometime in 2024, though the goal is to be substantially complete by the end of the year.

41st Street diverging diamond interchange

The first phase of the major project was completed in 2022; now get ready for phase two of the work to turn the Interstate 29 and 41st Street interchange into a “diverging diamond”-style interchange.

Cotter calls that “the most visual project of the year,” both in terms of “capacity and the change in how we do business.”

That means get ready to learn a different way to navigate an interchange, though ultimately this style is known for being safer and being able to handle more traffic, he said.

A diverging diamond is designed to eliminate having to cross traffic when turning onto the interstate. You drive crisscross through a signalized intersection, avoiding having to wait for a green light to take a left.

“It’s going to feel a lot different driving through it, but it will allow us to add capacity and have a safer solution,” Cotter said.

Crews finished everything west of I-29 last year, and this year will go east to Shirley Avenue, with the goal of being done by the end of the year.

Benson Road & I-229

Get used to the diverging diamond concept because it’s coming to northeast Sioux Falls too. This year will begin reconstruction of the interchange at Benson Road and Interstate 229, the first half of a two-year project.

“That’s a joint project between the state and city, and it’s $34 million,” Cotter said, adding the state will reconstruct Benson Road while the state does the interchange.

Veterans Parkway from Cliff to Western

Another two-year major project will start in south Sioux Falls with the construction of Veterans Parkway from Cliff to Western avenues, part of a larger 8-mile project to fully connect Veterans Parkway from Interstate 90 to I-29 at the Tea exit.

“This is a significant investment,” Cotter said.

The project is going to bid in April and will start construction shortly afterward.

85th Street & Cliff Avenue

Reconstruction of the intersection at 85th and Cliff, which is near the Veterans Parkway work, will start soon and involve a total closure.

“That’s really to support the new Freshman Academy and ultimately the future Harrisburg High School,” Cotter said. “It’s a modern arterial (street) with at least two lanes in each direction with appropriate turn lanes.”

The project will last most of the year but will allow access to the academy by the start of school.

57th Street from Veterans Parkway to nearly Six Mile Road

This area of the east side is positioned to grow considerably — and right now 57th Street east of Veterans Parkway is a gravel road.

The city this year will pave it into a new, five-lane road.

The area “is going to add a lot of housing,” Cotter said. “It’s a $5 million project, so it will take some time, but we don’t have traffic out there today. It will really be backbone transportation for opening many acres of housing.”

Arrowhead Parkway

This is the second year of work on a project to reconstruct and widen Arrowhead Parkway from 10th Street to Willow Run Golf Course. The project also includes reconstruction, widening and realignment of Six Mile Road for one-quarter mile north and south of Arrowhead.

“This is amazing,” Cotter said. “We completely realigned this road to create 90-degree angles and make the intersection safer.”

This project also is expected to last much of the season.

Key core-area road improvements

Your commute is about to get smoother this season on a number of well-traveled city streets.

The following areas will receive an asphalt overlay:

• Cliff Avenue from 12th to 26th streets.
• Sixth Street from I-229 to Sycamore Avenue.
• 26th Street from Cleveland to Alpine avenues.

“They’re all heavily traveled, and they are projects that we can put a good asphalt mat on them to improve daily commutes,” Cotter said.

They’re all fairly short-duration projects that should take only a few weeks.

More to come

The coming construction season also will bring lots of smaller-scale improvements, including 242 blocks receiving overlay work and 413 blocks receiving slurry seal treatments. Watch for our weekly Road Report beginning in April once the weather allows!

‘It’s an exciting project.’ As South Veterans Parkway prepares to start construction, development looms