Summer traffic tie-ups expected

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A continuous southbound left turn lane will be installed on Highway 61 through Frontenac to address safety concerns, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

Work will begin Monday and continue for about two months.

MnDOT also alerted motorists that daytime traffic on the Highway 60 bridge over the Mississippi River in Wabasha will be restricted to one lane later this month so the bridge can be inspected. Delays are likely, MnDOT said.

People traveling on Highway 61 through Frontenac will encounter daily lane closures with flaggers. In addition to adding the turn lane, the project will involve eliminating several access points along the highway.

The Frontenac project is a result of a community effort to address safety issues at the Highway 61/Britannia Avenue intersection, MnDOT spokesmen said.

“The site is where a fatal crash occurred in July 2003, resulting in the death of 16-year-old Lisa Klennert of Zumbro Falls. She was a passenger in a car that was rear-ended by a semi-truck. The vehicle was stopped on southbound Highway 61 to make a left turn. The semi driver was not injured, but both vehicles caught fire.

Highway 61 construction is expected to be completed by Sept. 8, weather permitting.

Monarch Paving, a division of Mathy Construction Co., was awarded the project with a bid of $739,679. The project received $560,000 in federal funds. State funds will pay the remaining portion.

Flaggers will be at the Wabasha Bridge controlling traffic during the daytime hours, weather permitting. Work will begin July 14 and should be completed by July 23.

MnDOT officials said bridge inspectors will perform routine and fracture critical inspections, along with gusset plate inspections for the bridge.

Tags: news, traffic, frontenac