WILLMAR – The Minnesota Department of Transportation is replacing signs this spring along several state highways in southwest Minnesota. MnDOT replaces traffic signs on a 15-year cycle to maximize efficiency. Many signs are more than 30 years old and no longer meet regulations regarding weight and measure.
Motorists will notice that old and new signs may be in place simultaneously as the installation crew works ahead of the removal crew. Old signs are not immediately removed for safety reasons.
The signing crew is a moving operation. Motorists may encounter temporary shoulder and lane closures as well as equipment entering and exiting the roadway. MnDOT encourages travelers to always drive with caution and to slow down in project areas for their safety and the safety of workers.
Crews will replace signs along the following state highways in the order listed.
- Highway 40 from Kandiyohi County Road 5 to the Minnesota River
- Highway 29 from Montevideo to Highway 40
- Highway 9 from Highway 23 to Highway 104
- Highway 71 from Highway 23 to Morton
- Highway 68 from the South Dakota border to Marshall and from Highway 19 to Morgan
CC & I Engineering, Inc., dba Compass Consultants, Inc., is the contractor, and the project cost is $1,150,780 million. District 8 in southwest Minnesota has 32,000 signs and approximately 2,100 signs are replaced each year.