Minnesota's Two Seasons Become One: Winter And Road Construction
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Step one foot outside and you know.
It sure doesn't feel like road construction season, but the dirt, dump trucks and orange cones are not limited to summers here in Minnesota.
Work on the four-year, $239-million 35W at 94 project will continue throughout the cold months. Even though the lakes and ponds are freezing over, workers can still pour concrete.
"Concrete, when it is curing, creates its own heat," said Aaron Tag of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. "They need to insulate it to make sure it doesn't freeze."
This winter, most of the work will focus on bridges and retaining walls. Grating and some pavement work will have to wait until things start to thaw.
Jessie Oruche works across the way from the highway, and even though she can barely imagine working outside this winter, she's glad someone is brave enough to weather the weather.
"I could imagine it because I want that road to be done," said Oruche.
There will be another crosstown to downtown closure of Interstate 35W this weekend. This will be the last full weekend closure of the year.
Right now, the massive I-35W project is about a third of the way complete.