HURON — A small group of interested landowners and residents met with the South Dakota Department of Transportation (DOT) Tuesday evening at the Huron Event Center to discuss a proposed project on S.D. Hwy. 37 north of Huron.
Waylon Blasius of Banner Associates presented the information to the crowd as the design consultant for DOT on the project, currently slated for 2027. The project will entail removal and reconstruction of the highway from the intersection with S.D. Hwy. 28 at the north end of the project to Beadle County Road 14 on the south end of the project.
In the end, the DOT intends to improve the grade of curves on the road, expand the shoulders, and replace the piping and culverts with the road, some of which date back to 1952.
The road will be closed throughout the project to through traffic. Local traffic and emergency vehicle access will be maintained at all times, but DOT is currently working on potential detour routes that could utilize Co. Rd. 14 and Co. Rd. 15 or U.S. Hwy. 14 to U.S. Hwy. 281 to go around the construction.
The current schedule is to meet with landowners next spring, with final design later in 2023. DOT will spend 2024/2025 on right-of-way acquisition for the project and construction is tentatively slated to begin in 2027.
Huron area engineer Brad Letcher answered a question from the audience regarding timeline by explaining that right now, the timeline could potentially be moved back to 2028. The timeline could depend on completion of other projects, specifically those that affect proposed detour routes.
Anyone interested in more information on the project can go to the DOT website at dot.sd.gov and under public meetings, the Oct. 4 meeting has links to details about the project. Contact information for feedback is on that website, and DOT would appreciate questions and comments submitted by Oct. 18.
