The public is invited to a ceremonial groundbreaking at 2 p.m. Friday east of Owatonna to mark the kickoff of the Highway 14 expansion project between Dodge Center and Owatonna, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The event will mark the start of the nearly $108 million construction project. State officials have been invited to attend and speak.

The event is at the cul de sac at 2300 SE 54th Ave., Claremont, MN 55924, east of Owatonna.

The ceremonial first shovels of dirt for the project will kick off the project to expand 12.5 miles of Highway 14 from two lanes to four lanes between Owatonna and Dodge Center, to complete a continuous four-lane roadway between Mankato and Rochester. The project is intended to improve the capacity, safety, travel times and access between Rochester and Owatonna, as well as the I-35 corridor.

Shafer Contracting of Shafer was awarded the construction contract for the Highway 14 expansion project.

The first full construction season will begin in spring 2020 and be completed by 2022.

To learn more about the Highway 14 project and sign up for email updates, go to www.dot.state.mn.us/d6/projects/hwy14/. For updated road condition information, call 511 or visit www.511mn.org.