One project ends, another begins
Chuck Kajer, Managing Editor
Just as the Scott County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 construction project winds down through Elko New Market, another road construction project will affect a number of New Prague area commuters as they drive to the Twin Cities for the next five months.
CSAH 2 reopened to traffic on Friday, June 26. There are still some finishing touches to be put on the road, but the road faced a tight deadline for opening because of another project that got underway this week.
Reconstruction of Scott/ Rice CSAH 86, along the Scott-Rice County line began this week. The project involves reconstruction of the road from the intersection with State Highway 19, about seven miles east of New Prague, eastward to Scott CSAH 27 (Texas Avenue) and Rice CSAH 3 (Fairbanks Avenue).
That stretch of road will be closed starting Monday, July 6, with the road scheduled to reopen December 1. A detour will be provided via Scott County CSAH 23 to Scott County CSAH 2 to Scott County CSAH 27.
Friedges Contracting of Lakeville was awarded the contract for the project at Scott County's June 9 meeting with a bid of $8.1 million, which was under the engineer's estimate of $8.4 million. According to Dan Jobe of Scott County Public Works, the project should be substantially completed by December, though there will likely be some finishing work that would be done in 2010. Included in the project will be construction of a roundabout that will connect the intersection of Highway 19, CSAH 86 and Scott CSAH 23 (Panama Avenue).
The project on the approximately 3-mile stretch of road will involve realignment of three county roads so they match up with roads on the other side of the county line. Scott CSAH 23 will be shifted west to line up with Highway 19, Rice County Road 96 will be moved east to line up with Scott County Road 85 (Zachary Avenue) and Scott CSAH 27 will be shifted west to line up with CSAH 3.
The project also includes widening the road, changing the grade and rebuilding two bridges along CSAH 86.
