Photo by Mike Lamb Workers on Wednesday continue to work on the Minnesota Department of Transportation “J” turn project on Minnesota Highway 23 in Marshall.

MARSHALL — This year’s rainy weather slowed down the progress of area street projects — and construction on Minnesota Highway 23 in Marshall was no different, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said Wednesday.

Due to extreme rains, construction of a new “J-turn” in Marshall is now two weeks behind.

MnDOT still plans to complete the project this year, weather permitting, said Sandra Schlagel, public affairs coordinator for MnDOT District 8. The construction, located at the intersections of Highway 23 and East Lyon Street, and Highway 23 and Clarice Avenue, is now anticipated to finish by Nov. 16.

The construction, which started in August, is building a second reduced conflict intersection in Marshall, at the Highway 23/Lyon Street intersection. The reduced conflict intersection, or “J-turn,” is designed to help prevent broadside crashes caused when vehicles try to cross the four-lane divided highway. Instead of going straight across lanes of oncoming traffic, vehicles will use special turn lanes and U-turn lanes to cross the intersection.

In addition, a restricted left turn lane is also being built at the intersection of Clarice Avenue and Highway 23, to help cut down on crashes.

During construction, traffic on Highway 23 has been reduced to a single lane in each direction in the construction zone. Speed limits have also been reduced from 55 to 45 miles per hour in the construction zone. Access is now open to East Lyon Street, 270th Street, and Clarice Avenue, but that access is right-turn only.

This will be the second J-turn built in Marshall. The first was built at the intersection of Highway 23 and Saratoga Street. A third J-turn is planned for the intersection of Highway 23 and Lyon County Road 7 in the future.

The plans for a reduced-conflict intersection at Highway 23 and Lyon Street came about after a 2016 safety study on the Highway 23 corridor in Marshall.

Besides safety at the intersections of Highway 23 and Saratoga Street, the study identified the intersections of Highway 23 and Lyon Street, Highway 23 and Clarice Avenue, and Highway 23 and Lyon County Road 7 as safety priorities.