Rain

delays

Hwy. 14

project

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Six weeks and at least a half-foot of rain into Minnesota Department of Transportation,'s U.S. Highway 14 reconstruction project, there was good news and bad news to report during the weekly construction project briefing Monday.

The good news was that Mathiowetz Construction Company had received the go-ahead to start work on the highway segment between 17th North and 20th North streets a couple days ahead of schedule.

The other good news was that the firm is within several days of starting to pave the segment between Seventh North and Ninth North streets.

The bad news is that "there are only nine days remaining (for completion of the first phase) but I'm sure we can go over that a day or two because of the rain," MnDOT Chief Inspector Marv Kruger said.

"Basically, the project has been delayed a week to 10 days," added Keith Olson, Mathiowetz Construction's on-site project supervisor. "We don't need any more rain!"

However, Olson said he believed the first segment could be completed in the allotted time.

"While I can't speak for Hoffman Concrete, I believe they'll be starting in a day or two, and it won't take them very long to lay the curb and gutter so that the paving can start," Olson said.

Most of the utility work between Seventh North and 17th North is completed so Kruger and Olson concurred that the work should proceed fairly rapidly -- if it doesn't rain heavily again.

It also was announced traffic from the west will be detoured onto County Road 12 and County Road 29, starting Monday, so that work can be done on the drainage system for the largest retention pond at the North Highland intersection with Highway 14.

Olson said in-city traffic to businesses in that area won't be affected by the closure, which is expected to last about a week or so.

Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad crew completed installation of a new crossing on County Road 12 this week so that the road could be used as a detour.

Kruger also reported that the flashing warning lights that are to be installed at the four-way stop intersection of 20th North Street and North Broadway did not come in as expected last week so that project is delayed.

Olson also reported that the segment between 12th North and 14th North streets should be "back up to gravel" before Heritagefest opens the second weekend of July.