Update on Interchange Project

DULUTH, Minn. — There’s some good news and some bad news for motorists traveling on Interstate 35 through the interchange project.

Many people may already be aware that traveling north on 35 through the construction areas there are now two lanes fully open.

Work crews are doing their best to get two lanes open on the south side of the highway, says Pippi Maxwell of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, “That’s what’s being finished so that the southbound is still at one lane. They’re doing some concrete work and some painting and stuff like that and we don’t want vehicles so close to the workers. “

On the other hand, the Garfield Avenue/ Interstate 35 interchange portion of the project will not be done this fall, as originally planned. During the work being done earlier in the area, a Jaw bone was found. Now, the DOT says that “findings of historical significance“ have been found in the project area.

The DOT referred all questions about those findings to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, but we have not received any response to our questions.

Wok on the project will be continuing through the winter and Maxwell wanted to stress the importance of driving carefully. “In a work Zone slow down Remember workers are in their quote, unquote office and we want them to get home to their families every night. Just like we don’t want vehicles traveling through our office. “

At this point, MnDOT does not have a new completion date for the project.