HURON The extensive reconstruction project of Dakota Avenue will kick of its 2024 season on May 13.
That was among the information shared during a special pre-construction meeting held Thursday night at the Huron Event Center.
The timeline for the 2024 and 2025 portions of the project were shared, and Riley Schmidt was introduced as the project manager, representing BX Civil & Construction of Dell Rapids, the general contractor for the project.
S.D. Department of Transportations Brad Letcher gave a brief overview of the project and then shared timelines.
Letcher said the 2024 portion of the project has been divided into three phases – 2 and 3.
Phase 2 is separated in two separate areas and it is there, in Phase 2A, that the work will begin on May 13.
The portion of the project is set from Market Street to the north side of the 3rd Street S intersection. The scheduled shared Thursday night shows work in the portion through Oct. 2.
During this portion, Dakota Avenue is to be closed during construction, which will include city utility projects at the same time as the street is rebuilt.
Phase 2B is from 3rd to 5th Street. Again, the street is to be closed during construction. Work in this phase is set to begin June 17 and continue through the early part of November.
Phase 3 is slated to begin July 15 and encompasses the stretch of the street from 5th Street to 9th Street South.
The traffic will be detoured onto Kansas Ave throughout these first three phases of construction.
Access to sidestreets is expected to be available to the many downtown businesses. Letcher noted that all businesses will have access throughout the project, although when new concrete is poured immediately outside a respective business access may be affected.
Letcher also noted that BX Civil and Construction is working under a block rental construction plan.
He said that means the company is charged on a per-day basis for time spent in any particular area.
Doing a block rental basis is designed to keep the project moving more quickly, he said.
Letcher noted that the Phase 3 portion of the project will see Dakota Avenue remain nearly the same as it is now – two lanes each direction and a turning lane.
From 5th Street to Market Street, the street will change to one driving lane each direction with a dedicated turning lane.
The change will make for slightly wider lanes in addition to have a dedicated lane for cars making left-handed turns off Dakota.
The parking areas on each side of Dakota will also be wider, leaving the driver of cars that are parked further from the passing traffic.
Phase 1, which is set from Market Road to 3rd Street North, will begin in April of 2025. This section of the street will be done one side at a time, with two lane traffic continuing throughout construction.
Letcher said brief detours will be used during Phase 3 construction, partially due to the installation of a new railroad crossing.
For updates on major traffic changes, Letcher encouraged those in attendance who hadnt already done so, to subscribe to a free text-in service. To subscribe, text HURON37 to 605-566-4041. Subscribers can unsubscribe at any time.
Information will also be posted on the Department of Transporations website, and printed in the Plainsman as it becomes available.
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