Minnesota’s road construction season has kicked off, though it won’t much affect Mower County.

Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle and Minnesota Department of Transportation engineers announced Thursday a list of 290 transportation construction projects that are getting underway this construction season.

While this year’s program provides some significant maintenance work for the state transportation system, MnDOT officials note that planning for future years indicates less revenue will be available under current funding levels, and much more work is needed to address the long-term challenges facing Minnesota’s transportation system.

“The forecasts for road and bridge revenue show a sharp decrease in available funding for next year given the needs in the system. They also show a slight increase the following year, and then another downturn in 2018,” Zelle said in a press release. “Add to that the fact that we see significant declines in our pavements and anticipate the need for much more bridge work after 2018, and you can see very clearly the need for additional, sustainable transportation revenues.”

Zelle noted many of the projects in this year’s program will provide shorter term fixes, rather than long-term solutions.

He argued that what is needed now, as state transportation funding faces future revenue shortfalls and growing needs, is a long-term vision for Minnesota’s transportation future.

The projects planned for this construction year will help preserve and maintain the state’s aging transportation system, Zelle said, noting over half of the state’s pavements are more than 50 years old, and about 40 percent of the state’s bridges are also that age.

Regional 2015 MnDOT Projects

See a full list of statewide projects at www.dot.state.mn.us/construction/

Highway 14
Location: Half mile east of I-35 to 1 mile west of Highway 56
Description: Resurface 13 miles of Highway 14 between Owatonna and Dodge Center
Total Cost: $4.1 million
Date: July-Sept 2015
Impact: Lane closures with flaggers, 15-day ramp detours for Steele County Road 45
Benefit: Smoother, safer road

Highway 14
Location: Owatonna
Description: Expansion of Highway 14 from 2 lanes to 4 lanes, Highway 218 to Steele County Rd 180.
Total Cost: $12 million 2015 Cost: $5,669,503
Date: 2014-Sept 2015
Impact: Single-lane traffic in each direction, short-term ramp detour
Benefit: Safer, smoother road
mndot.gov/d6/projects/hwy14-218-to-cr-180/

Highway 14
Location: Owatonna
Description: Repair concrete pavement on Old Highway 14 west and east of junction of I-35
Total Cost: $2.8 million
Date: May-Aug 2015
Impact: Long-term lane closures, delays
Benefit: Smoother road

Highway 52
Location: Rochester
Description: Extending fiber optic communication line 6 miles on Highway 52 for Intelligent Transportation System. Extends from Highway 63 north to Olmsted County Rd 12 east exit
Total Cost: $350,000
Date: Summer 2015
Impact: None
Benefit: Safer roads

Highway 52
Location: Rochester
Description: Replacing lights with LED bulbs
Total Cost: $407,000
Date: Summer 2015
Impact: Daily lane closures
Benefit: Safer road

Highway 63
Location: Rochester
Description: Resurface 6 miles from Highway 30 north to 28th St S in Rochester
Total Cost: $4.1 million
Date: May-June 2015
Impact: Long-term lane closures, short-term ramp detours at Highway 52
Benefit: Safer, smoother highway

Highway 63
Location: Rochester International Airport
Description: Reconstruct interchange at airport and Olmsted County Rd 16
Total Cost: $5.3 million 2015 Cost: $2.1 million
Date: Aug 2015-Aug 2016
Impact: Intermittent lane closures
Benefit: Safer, improved access

Highway 63
Location: Spring Valley
Description: Repair concrete pavement from Highway 16 south to Iowa border. Includes culvert replacement and bridge repair.
Total Cost: $2.8 million
Date: May-Sept 2015
Impact: 7-week detour, then daily lane closures with flaggers
Benefit: Safer, smoother road

Highway 63
Location: Stewartville
Description: Repair 2 miles of concrete pavement from Root River bridge in Stewartville to Highway 30 north Total Cost: $1.2 million
Date: Sept-Oct 2015
Impact: Long-term lane closures, short-term ramp detours at I-90
Benefit: Safer, smoother highway

Highway 65
Location: Albert Lea
Description: Resurface 4 miles through Albert Lea, improve pedestrian ramps
Total Cost: $4.7 million
Date: May-Sept 2015
Impact: 3-week detour, then long-term lane closures, short-term ramp closures at I-35
Benefit: Safer, smoother road, better pedestrian access
mndot.gov/d6/projects/hwy65-resurfacing/

I-35
Location: Half mile north of Highway 30 to I-90
Description: Repave concrete southbound lanes
Total Cost: $16.9 million
Date: May-July 2015
Impact: Head-to-head traffic on NB lanes, SB ramp detours
Benefit: Smoother, safer road

I-35
Location: Owatonna
Description: Reconstruct 2 miles of NB and SB lanes in Owatonna, improve ramps, auxiliary lane and bridge.
Total Cost: $19.2 million
2015 Cost: $7,759,679
Date: May 2014-Nov 2015
Impact: Single-lane traffic both directions, temporary ramp closures, detours
Benefit: Safer, smoother road
mndot.gov/d6/projects/i35bridge-pavement-replacement/

I-35
Location: Rice County
Description: Connecting Intelligent Transportation System. Rice County Rd 1 north to Elko interchange, exit 76
Total Cost: $925,000
Date: May-Nov 2015
Impact: None
Benefit: Safer roads by connecting traffic cameras to statewide system

I-90
Location: Dakota
Description: Replace interchange lighting system at Jct of I-90, Highway 14 and Highway 61
Total Cost: $1.9 million
Date: Summer 2015
Impact: Short-term lane closures
Benefit: Safer highway, better illuminated

I-90
Location: Dresbach
Description: Construct new bridge to replace existing Mississippi River bridge Total Cost: $187.5 million
2015 Cost: $55 million
Date: March 2013-Fall 2016
Impact: Head-to-head traffic on EB lanes, detour for WB I-90 access to SB Highway 61, closed Traveler Information Center
Benefit: Safer bridge, safer transitions onto I-90 or exiting to Highway 61
mndot.gov/dresbachbridge/

I-90
Location: Dresbach
Description: Resurface 2 miles of bicycle trail at exit 273A to half mile west of Jct of I-90, Highway 14 and Highway 61, plus improvements for accessibility and culvert repair.
Total Cost: $1.6 million
Date: Sept-Oct 2015
Impact: Short-term lane closures
Benefit: Safer, smoother road, better trail access

I-90
Location: St. Charles to Eyota
Description: Repair 12.5 miles of concrete pavement of WB I-90 and resurface ramps
Total Cost: $17 million
Date: June-Sept 2015
Impact: Head-to-head traffic on EB lanes, WB ramp detours
Benefit: Safer, smoother road, ramps

Districtwide
Location: Highways 13, 14, 16, 52, 65 and I-35, I-90
Description: Seal bridge decks Total Cost: $180,764
2015 Cost: $180,764
Date: July 2015-Nov 2016
Impact: Short-term lane closures
Benefit: Longer life for bridges

Districtwide
Location: I-90 and Highway 52
Description: Repair bridge decks
Total Cost: $1.4 million
Date: Summer 2015
Impact: Lane closures
Benefit: Longer bridge life

Districtwide
Location: Multiple locations
Description: Repair bridges
Total Cost: $300,000
Date: 2015
Impact: Lane closures
Benefit: Longer life for bridges

Districtwide
Location: Highways 42, 58 and I-90
Description: Repair concrete pavement
Total Cost: $730,497
Date: Summer-Nov 2015
Impact: Lane closures
Benefit: Longer highway life

Districtwide
Location: Multiple locations
Description: Epoxy chip sealing
Total Cost: $250,000
Date: Summer 2015
Impact: Short-term lane closures, flaggers
Benefit: Longer highway life

Districtwide
Location: Multiple locations
Description: Paint bridges
Total Cost: $200,000
Date: Summer 2015
Impact: Long-term lane closures
Benefit: Longer life for bridges

Districtwide
Location: Highways 16, 56, 251 and I-35, I-90 (along with other state highways)
Description: Rout and seal roads
Total Cost: $1.6 million
Date: May-Aug 2015
Impact: Lane closures
Benefit: Long life for highways

Districtwide
Location: Various highways
Description: Seal coat roads
Total Cost: $1.9 million
Date: Summer-Nov 2015
Impact: Short-term lane closures, flaggers
Benefit: Longer highway life

Districtwide
Location: Various highways
Description: Culvert linings
Total Cost: $1.1 million
Date: June-Dec 2015
Impact: Short-term lane closures, Highway 56 detour
Benefit: Longer life of culverts, better drainage

Highway 14 (Old Highway)
Location: Janesville to Owatonna
Description: Restore rural section
Total Cost: $14.6 million (turn-back funds)
Date: April-Oct 2015
Impact: Detour
Benefit: Smoother and safer