Bruce/College Dr. intersection reopens to traffic

4-way stop in place as construction continues

MARSHALL -- A major intersection in Marshall has reopened after street reconstruction - but the work at Bruce Street and East College Drive isn't completely finished yet, representatives of R and G Construction said Friday.

The intersection of Bruce Street and East College Drive reopened Friday morning, said Erika Coudron, of R and G construction. Work on the traffic light system at the intersection is still going on, so the intersection will be an all-way stop with stop signs, Coudron said. Drivers traveling through the intersection should watch for workers.

College Drive will remain closed west of Bruce Street as construction continues, Coudron said. Coudron said the College Drive crossing at High Street also closed this week.

Other street work will also be continuing in Marshall over the next week. Because of rainy weather on Friday, a planned turn lane closure on Minnesota Highway 23 at South Fourth Street has been rescheduled until Monday. The city of Marshall announced that the turn lanes at South Fourth Street will be closed between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday.

Both the right and left turn lanes going off of Highway 23 onto South Fourth Street will be closed, and access will be limited to local traffic only, the city announcement said. Non-local traffic should plan on finding an alternative route.

Contractors will also begin planting new trees along the College Drive construction corridor on Monday, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said. Contractors will be planting trees in the right of way along Minnesota Highway 19 (College Drive), between Legion Field Park and Bruce Street. No detour will be required for the project, but the traffic lanes may shift, MnDOT said. Drivers are asked to slow down and watch for workers.

The tree planting is expected to continue through November, MnDOT said. The project, which costs about $277,000, is being funded and coordinated separately from the ongoing College Drive construction.

Some of the new asphalt paving planned for part of South Fifth Street is now in place. Marshall Public Works Director Jason Anderson said the city expects that the final lift of paving on the Fifth Street project will be installed next week. The paving work will affect South Fifth Street between Main Street and Saratoga Street.