Grand Rapids Roundabout Project Impacting Hwy 2 + Hwy 169 Traffic In Minnesota

Construction of a roundabout at River Road and SE 7th Avenue in Grand Rapids began June 5 when the intersection of River Road and Airport Road was closed to allow for the replacement of water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer. That intersection will remain closed during the entire summer.

The new roundabout, which is a joint project between Itasca County and the city of Grand  Rapids, also includes changes in traffic lanes on state highways. Specifically, traffic will be heavily impacted on Hwy 2 and Hwy 169 (Pokegama Avenue).

The ultimate goal of the project is to eliminate the only city-owned traffic signal in town as it has become outdated and needs to be replaced.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation, the city of Grand Rapids, and Itasca County have made changes to the flow of traffic at the intersection of Hwy169 and Hwy 2.  They have established a detour route on 8th Street SE, 10th Street SE, and Hwy 169 South.

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MnDOT notes that traffic Control changes have been made to the intersection of Hwy 169 (Pokegama Ave) and Hwy 2 to help improve traffic flow due to the detour. Additionally, a bypass road will be established on the northwest corner of River Road and Airport Road during the middle of the project to help alleviate congestion.

The video below was created to educate the public on the Grand Rapids roundabout project and the traffic impacts it'll have on the area throughout this summer.

The City of Grand Rapids has also created a website about the project, which includes a slideshow of images highlighting the areas impacted and the detour routes that are in place.