Highway 23 scheduled to reopen in early-July at the Nemadji River
Duluth, Minn. – An emergency repair contract for Highway 23 at the south fork of the Nemadji River is currently underway. Work at the site will begin late this week and is expected to be completed in by July 7 or sooner, weather dependent. The highway has been closed since June 17 due to flood damage.
The repairs being done are considered temporary and the finished driving surface will be gravel. MnDOT will maintain the surface throughout the summer. The highway will be paved by fall 2018.
MnDOT hopes to do the permanent repair on the damaged segment next summer during the same time the highway must be closed for two other previously scheduled projects. By doing all three projects next summer the total time Highway 23 needs to be closed will be greatly reduced.
Until the highway is repaired motorists are encouraged to take Interstate 35 as an alternate route or they must use the posted detour. The detour route uses county roads of which most are gravel. MnDOT will grade and maintain the detour route until Highway 23 is reopened in the damaged area.
Motorists who don’t have to travel on Highway 23 are encouraged to use Interstate 35 as an alternate route. This will help preserve the gravel roads from damage due to high traffic volumes.
Maps showing the posted detour and recommended alternative route can be seen at:
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/d1/index.html
