Road crossovers for centerline culverts continued Wednesday along Highway 371 near Brainerd.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is completing crossovers on Highway 371, Crow Wing County Road 125, and the Brainerd International Raceway entrance. They paved a portion of the crossovers Wednesday afternoon and will be completing the remainder of them on Thursday, June 23rd. This will allow traffic to run head-to-head depending on where the culvert work is at.

MnDOT plans to replace centerline pipes during overnight hours starting next week, and they hope to finish a whole line of pipe each day. This will allow compaction and the ability to pave in the day with two lanes switching to one lane.

This project will also include three reduced conflict intersections, which will help eliminate right-angle crashes and right-angle crossings at the highway. RCIs, also known as J-turns, makes traffic turn around and head the opposite way, instead of turning in a 90-degree angle. It’s all about giving drivers a safe option and avoid many dangerous collisions.

During rainy weather, the culverts need tubing and a constant way of letting water run through without being plugged. After the crew is done excavating, they’ll set precast concrete pipe sections under the road way for water to flow freely.

Work is expected to continue until the end of October. They have a full season of work with other construction starting on Birchdale Road and Cedar Road.

By — Hanky Hazelton