Photo courtesy of Minnesota Department of Transportation This photo shows an example of a piezometer, a piece of equipment that measures groundwater levels.

MARSHALL — Marshall residents might notice some work being done along part of College Drive in December. It’s part of the ongoing planning for reconstruction of Highway 19, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said this week.

MnDOT will be installing equipment to study groundwater levels before construction starts in 2025.

Around 20 piezometers will be installed along College Drive between Fourth Street and Bruce Street, a MnDOT news release said.

“The piezometers will be installed at different locations to determine the groundwater levels,” said project manager Jesse Vlaminck.

That information will help MnDOT know how much water may need to be removed when work begins on both Highway 19 and the utility lines running beneath it. The construction and utility upgrades will involve excavation.

“When you do that, you need to dewater,” Vlaminck said.

The piezometers will also determine what kinds of chemicals might be in Marshall’s groundwater, and if the water removed from the construction zone will need to be treated, he said.

When the piezometers are installed, they will resemble wells, Vlaminck said. The devices will stay in place throughout construction in 2025 and 2026.

“It gives us a perspective of how water levels fluctuate in a given time,” Vlaminck said.

MnDOT plans to start reconstruction of Highway 19/College Drive in 2025. The roadway will be rebuilt from Fourth Street to the intersection of College Drive and Bruce Street. In addition to street reconstruction, the project includes sidewalk and safety improvements in the project area. A bike lane will be striped from Marlene Street to just west of Fairgrounds Road, MnDOT said.

More information about the Highway 19 project is available online at 222.mndot.gov/d8/projects/hwy19marshall/.