Minnesota, United States — The road construction season is in full swing. But, doesn’t it seem like there are more projects than ever this year? Or that some of the same roads are consistently being repaired?
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced nearly 180 road and bridge construction projects throughout the state, as well as 51 projects involving airports, water ports, railroad crossings, and transit infrastructure.
“I don’t know what happened this year, but they just decided that everything is getting done this year,” Emily Schaefer told me. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota and continues to live on campus.
There is extensive construction along University Avenue, which runs through Dinkytown.
“It gets kind of dicey with cars and pedestrians,” said Schaefer, who frequently rides her bike. “You can’t really see what’s going on.”
According to U of M Assistant Professor Raphael Stern, a scholar in the Center for Transportation Studies, due to Minnesota’s harsh winter weather, the majority of road construction must take place in the spring, summer, and fall.
“There’s just no room for moving them around and try to mitigate the impact, they all just have to happen at the same time,” says Stern. “That’s part of why we’re getting hit so hard this summer in the Twin Cities.”
In addition to MnDOT projects, many cities and counties benefit from the summer’s favorable weather conditions. Several high-profile projects, such as those along Interstates 35 and 94, make this summer’s construction season appear especially extensive.
“I don’t enjoy being stuck in traffic, none of us do, but it’s also important to keep in mind that not investing in our infrastructure is worse,” Stern replied.
Stern also claims that the state’s extreme seasons deteriorate pavement more quickly, making it nearly impossible to design something that can withstand them. Additionally, replacing the top layer is a quick fix.
“That’ll improve the quality of the pavement for a couple of years, but the underlying foundation of the road might still be compromised,” Stern informed us.
A project’s duration is largely determined by its scope. For example, changing the striping pattern on a road can take one to two days. Other projects, such as roadway reconstruction, may take the entire season or even into the following year due to the complexity of the work.
“If you’re driving a car on campus, you’re not getting where you need to be really quick,” Schaefer told me.
The most important thing to do when driving through a construction zone is to slow down. Also, it’s best to stay in your lane until you need to merge. This reduces the impact on other traffic.