Photo by Deb Gau MnDOT project manager Kent Medalen, at right, answered area residents’ questions on plans to repair a culvert on U.S. Highway 14 near Tracy in 2019. The culvert repair is only one part of the project, which will resurface Highway 14 between Tracy and Revere. Detours are planned during the project, MnDOT representatives said.

WALNUT GROVE — It’s still about a year away, but southwest Minnesota residents are getting some advance notice of road construction planned along U.S. Highway 14. A resurfacing project along will repair the pavement and other structures along the highway between Tracy and Revere in 2019 — but it will also mean detours.

While some details of the planned project have not been finalized yet, representatives of the Minnesota Department of Transportation said they hope to complete the construction in spring and early summer 2019. Project manager Kent Medalen said the goal is to start work as soon as spring weight restrictions on the roads end.

“We want to be done in early or mid-June,” said construction supervisor Erika Kleven. Temporarily closing the highway could help the construction work move more quickly and lead to less disruption for events and businesses in Walnut Grove.

On Monday, MnDOT held an open-house informational meeting on the Highway 14 project at the Walnut Grove Community Center. Area residents could ask MnDOT and project engineers questions about the project, and they were also given copies of questions and answers from an April listening session.

The plan for Highway 14 involves replacing 12 miles of road surface, running from East Fourth Street in Tracy, east all the way through Walnut Grove and ending at the junction of Redwood County Road 7 in Revere. Along the way, the project will also replace a culvert near Tracy, update guard rails near the Tracy Country Club, and work on bridge approaches near Plum Creek, MnDOT representatives said.

In Walnut Grove, sidewalks along Highway 14 will be repaired and updated to meet accessibility standards. Just east of Walnut Grove, a turn lane at the intersection of Redwood County Road 80 will be made longer. Highway 14 and County Road 80 get truck traffic from the nearby Meadowland Farmers Co-Op.

MnDOT representatives said parts of the project, like bridge work near Plum Creek, will have to be done before the highway can be resurfaced.

A proposed detour for the project was on display at the open house. The detour would go from Lyon County Road 11 in Tracy north to Redwood County Road 4, east on County Road 4 to Redwood County Road 7, and south on County Road 7 to Revere. Signage for Walnut Grove would be placed on Redwood County Road 5. MnDOT also plans to maintain residents’ access to driveways and mailboxes during construction.

According to the question-and-answer handout, the Highway 14 project is still in the design phase, and will go out for bids in December. The cost of the construction is estimated at around $4 million, Medalen said.