Repairs to the washed out portion of Freeborn County Road 34 should be completed within the next week, Freeborn County Engineer Sue Miller said Tuesday.

Contractors began work Aug. 25 and had 25 working days to complete it. On Tuesday, Miller said there were three working days left. Rainy days have not counted as working days.

So far, the new pipe has been replaced and all the rip-rap work on the slopes has been put in place for protection, she said. The road is being graded and cut to its new profile, and gravel is being put on the road.

Bituminous will be laid at a later date.

Miller said the road could potentially be opened up for local traffic with just a gravel surface. Then a paving contractor could come in lay the bituminous.

The contractor is Sunblad Construction of Wright County. The price tag is $450,000, including work on a township road downstream. Funding is from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Storms June 11 and 12 caused damage below the culvert underneath Freeborn County 34 resulting in complete failure. The floods created a washout 30 feet wide, which has since resulted in three deaths and multiple injuries.

Jersey barriers were installed as a secondary protective measure after the original barriers were put up. Those barriers are checked regularly by the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office.

Miller wanted to let people know that until the barricades are taken down the road is still not open for traffic.

“People should still not go around there until it’s opened,” Miller said.

There’s still repair equipment at the site.