MnDOT Extends Hwy 61 Traffic Delays + Detour On Minnesota’s North Shore

If you're planning a trip up the shore in the near future, you should be aware that a project is underway that could cause detours and delays along the way.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is currently working on a culvert replacement project in various northeast Minnesota locations. The overall goal of the project is to repair and replace deteriorated culverts and drainage structures to provide adequate hydraulic capacity, stream stability, and road core integrity.

MnDOT says the following culvert locations are all a part of the project:

• Highway 1 north of Illgen City in Lake County
• Highway 53 near Central Lakes in St. Louis County
• Highway 61 near Silver Bay in Lake County
• Highway 61 near Split Rock in Lake County
• Highway 65 south of Pengilly in Itasca County
• Highway 65 north of Nashwauk in Itasca County
• Highway 73 north of Balkan Township in St. Louis County
• Highway 135 near Embarrass in St. Louis County
• Highway 169 in Hibbing in St. Louis County

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The Minnesota Department of Transportation has been replacing culverts on Highway 61 near Beaver Bay and Silver Bay through Tuesday,  October 17 and they need to Motorists should expect delays and a detour during this work.

They add that Culvert work north of Gooseberry Falls at milepost 41 has a gravel patch with a 45 mph advisory speed limit. Work in that area is expected to last until Saturday, October 14 in the area will last until October 14.

Between Beaver Bay and Silver Bay, northbound Highway 61 will have intermittent lane shifts and shoulder closures through Sunday, October 15. Work on southbound Highway 61 will require a detour onto Lake County Road 5 in Silver Bay to Lake County Road 4/Lax Lake Road returning to Highway 61 in Beaver Bay until sometime on October 13.

Lastly, work north of Silver Bay at milepost 57 has single-lane traffic with flaggers and that is expected to be in place through October 14.

Motorists who encounter any road projects should drive with caution and patience while making sure to look out for MnDOT crews who are working in the area.

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