Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Water, sewer work progressing well on Highway 12



May 26, 2008

Progress is steady. Park Construction utility crews continue to install sanitary sewer and water main with street crews following behind. 

Limited crews worked Friday and no crews will be working Memorial Day.

Sewer and water crews were expected to finish sanitary sewer in the area of Ninth Street as early as last Friday.  Water main in this area by the clinic is also expected to be completed this week. 

Street crews are excavating soils and backfilling with sand and gravel behind the sewer crews.  The city expects this intersection to be restored to gravel by the middle of next week. 

This will bring the entire section of Highway 12 between Ninth Street and County Line Road to the status of a gravel surface. The installation of curb and gutter in this area could begin as early as the end of next week. 

As stated in previous updates, the contractor is on a good pace to pave this section of Highway 12 and open it for local access by July 1.

Utility crews will continue to install sanitary sewer between Fourth Street and Seventh Street. 

Again, the deep trenches will place more of an emphasis on the temporary access road for business access. Access across Highway 12 to Fourth, Kelsey, and Fifth will be interrupted as the sewer installation is completed. 

The construction of sanitary sewer along Highway 12 between Rockford Avenue and the railroad bridge (by Peppermint Twist) is anticipated to start during the week of June 2.  The contractor, MnDOT, and the city are currently reviewing construction plans to assure Highway 12 and access to local businesses remains open.

Utility work is being completed this week on the utilities near Wright County Road 30 and the Wright County Road 16 realignment. The street restoration to a point of gravel will be completed next week.  A paving schedule for the Wright County Road 16 realignment and backage road has not been set.

The first concrete pour on the west bridge abutment occurred last week.  Work will continue on this abutment this week. 

Pile driving on the east abutment is underway and will continue into next week. Demolition of the existing bridge will start June 15.

Detour information

The pedestrian ramp for the Wright County Road 30 crosswalk at Hidden Hills Drive was poured this week. 

Striping will soon be completed for this crosswalk. Watch for pedestrians at this crossing and all crossings on the detour route.

The city has received complaints this week regarding speeds along the detour route including Wright County Road 30. The city has also received complaints regarding speeds on local city streets including Rockford and Franklin Avenues. 

The city has informed the Wright County Sheriff’s Department, and they are actively enforcing posted speed limits. Please slow down and obey all traffic laws. 

It appears that the truck detour will be in place by the end of the month into early June. 

The proposed route has not been disclosed, but MnDOT is currently negotiating the final costs to establish the route. 

With an operational truck detour and the modifications which were made to the signal at River Street and Bridge Avenue, the city anticipates that state troopers will not be used to assist with traffic control.

For more information

During the Highway 12 construction process, the city will continue to utilize e-mail to send out information on the project as it becomes available.

If there is information that you feel would be helpful that may not have been shared to date, please reply to hwy12@delano.mn.us with your question or comment.

The city’s web site – www.delano.mn.us – has a special section with Highway 12 information under the “Projects” heading.

At this site, the city is posting construction drawings and a computer-simulated video of the finished Highway 12 project, plus frequently asked questions and the city’s responses.

This site will continue to be updated throughout the project with information as it becomes available.

If you would like to speak to someone regarding the project specifics, you may contact any of the following:

Rick Beckes, MnDOT project supervisor, (320) 223-6536;

Vince Vander Top, Delano city engineer, (763) 479-5124;

Ernie Eden, Delano public works director, (763) 972-0580;

Phil Kern, Delano city administrator, (763) 972-0565.

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