When BNSF trains block Minnesota Street during reconstruction of the Sanborn Boulevard viaduct, portions of Mitchell can expect detours of up to 2 extra miles.
The city has worked with the project contractor, Dell Rapids-based BX Civil & Construction, to minimize delays for police, fire and ambulance services, Chief of Public Safety Lyndon Overweg said Tuesday.
“They’re (BX) going to attempt to get the intersection of Birch (Avenue) and Sanborn done quickly,” Overweg said. Once done, official emergency vehicles will be able to use the Sanborn viaduct to quickly reach areas south of the tracks.
For the public when trains block Minnesota, however, the available north-south paths across the tracks will be at Ohlman Street to the west, and Burr and Foster streets to the east. Terry Johnson of the city engineer’s office said it would be rare for a train to block both Ohlman and Minnesota simultaneously. Burr is a railroad underpass. Foster is east of Burr.
Poor weather has pushed back the Sanborn project start date to April 4. In this year’s project phase, BX will manage a $1.859 million reconstruction of Sanborn from First Avenue to Havens Avenue. Substantial projection completion is set for July 17.
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Once the project starts, Overweg said, the city will monitor traffic volumes at the intersection of First Avenue and Minnesota Street to decide whether temporary stoplights are warranted. Traffic volumes along streets one block either side of Sanborn also will be monitored to determine whether stop signs are warranted, he said.
“We don’t want to impede traffic,” Overweg said. It’s not possible to predict traffic flows, he said, because a lot of people will adjust their routes.
“We are prepared to make arrangements as the project progresses.”