Hwy. 52 lane closures, traffic delays are planned
Published 10:08 am Friday, December 11, 2015
Motorists on Highway 52 north of Zumbrota will encounter lane closures starting as soon as Monday as work crews prepare to pull power lines from the CapX2020 project across the highway later in the week, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Lane closures are expected to begin in the southbound lanes at approximately 8 a.m. Monday, weather permitting. Once guard barriers are in place, work will switch to the northbound lanes for similar closures. Motorists should be alert for crews and equipment during the process.
On Wednesday, Highway 52 traffic in both directions will be narrowed to one lane and temporarily stopped near Goodhue County Road 7, also known as Welch Road. Traffic will be stopped for approximately five minutes while a helicopter supporting the work hovers over the traffic lanes. Stoppages are expected once every 40 minutes to one hour and the process is expected to last most of the morning. Once complete, all traffic lanes will be reopened.
This is the start of six crossings planned for Highway 52 during the next six months. Similar lane closures and traffic stoppages will occur at those crossings as the work progresses north. Helicopters will be assisting workers stringing the poles along Highway 52 during this time. Motorists are asked to pay attention to their driving and not to stop on the roadway or shoulder.
The barriers near the roadway will be removed at a later date.
For more information about the CapX2020 project, call 1-866-876-2869 or visit www.capx2020.com.
MnDOT urges motorists to follow these recommendations in work zones:
Stay alert
Watch for signs, equipment and workers
Minimize distractions, such as using cell phones, eating or drinking
Avoid tailgating
Follow posted speed limits and directional signs
Stay in one lane while driving through a work zone
For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
Construction on the Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse 345 kV transmission line started north of Rochester in early 2013 and is expected to be complete in 2016. The transmission line will run between the new Hampton substation near Hampton and the new North Rochester substation north of Pine Island. It continues on to cross the Mississippi River near Alma, Wisconsin.
Single steel poles steel structures for the 345 kV line are between 140 and 170 feet tall and spaced 800 to 1,000 feet apart.