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WILLMAR -- The Highway 68 Minneota to Marshall construction project start date is delayed due to utility relocation issues, the Minnesota Department of Transportation District 8 announced on Friday. The project was originally scheduled to start Monday.
"The schedule is being reevaluated and more information will be available soon," the announcement said.
The $9.2 million project includes improvements to approximately 11 miles of Hwy 68 from North Grant Street in Minneota to the Redwood River in Marshall. It will widen the shoulders of Minnesota Highway 68, decrease the slope of the roadside ditches and replace culverts.
For years, area residents have had safety concerns about the narrow shoulders and steep ditches on Highway 68. Currently, the roadway is 32 feet wide, with two 12-foot driving lanes and a four-foot paved shoulder on each side of the road.
After construction, there will be an additional 4 feet of gravel shoulder on each side of the highway, according to MnDOT officials.
There are a couple of other construction projects planned in MnDOT's District 8 this summer. Repairs are planned for the bridge over the Redwood River on Highway 19 in Redwood Falls, just west of U.S. Highway 71. MnDOT said the bridge would need to be closed up to three times while concrete work is completed. At other times, bridge lanes will be narrowed town to 10 feet to accommodate two-way traffic.
Another project planned to start in July will resurface part of Highway 71 and add a bypass lane in the city of Olivia. A detour will be in place for that project.