HAWICK – The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that access to Kandiyohi County Road 2 will be closed starting Monday.
According to a MnDOT press release, access to Kandiyohi County Road 2 from Minnesota Highway 23 will be closed on Monday, August 12, as workers begin realignment southwest of Hawick.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes or follow posted detour signs to access County Road 2.
The work on Highway 23 is part of the Highway 23 South Gap project, which will widen Highway 23 from New London to Paynesville to four lanes.
According to MnDOT, workers have also built a 12-foot by 12-foot pedestrian underpass and are in the process of filling it. Excavation for a new culvert at Long Lake is also scheduled to begin next week, and paving of the final section of road is scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 9 or Sept. 16.
Article by the Minnesota Department of Transportation
The tasks to be completed include:
- Box culvert and piping near County Road 2
- Connection of the Glacial Lakes Trail to the pedestrian underpass
- Renewal of the original lanes, which will be used for westbound traffic
- County Road 2 connection to Highway 23
- Permanent stripes and signs
- Lawn installation
According to MnDOT, paving work has been delayed until mid-September due to weather and other circumstances. Depending on weather conditions, the two-year project could be largely completed by late September or early October.
The South Gap section was the final part of the Highway 23 Gaps project. The North Gap section, which widened Highway 23 from Paynesville to Richmond to four lanes, was completed in 2023.
Once the South Gap portion of the project is completed, approximately 53 miles along Highway 23 from Willmar to St. Cloud will be expanded to four lanes. According to MnDOT, only 16 of those 53 miles were previously designed for four lanes.
Benefits include improved mobility and safety for motorists and are expected to encourage and enhance business growth along the corridor as Highway 23 serves as a major east-west link, connecting Willmar to Interstate Highway 94.
Mathiowetz Construction is the prime contractor to complete the South Gap project. The total cost of the Highway 23 Gaps project is estimated at $76.25 million.
