Phase 3 of Highway 71 Construction Underway in Bemidji

Construction efforts on Minnesota Highway 71 are continuing, with the project now in its third phase of four.

Currently, labor is being focused on the northbound lanes and the Anne Street roundabout. In the upcoming weeks, the northbound lanes will be repaved and the northern ramps on Irvine Avenue will be worked on.

By far the biggest change from the project is the addition of a hybrid roundabout, which is now three-quarters of the way open. The only part yet to be completed is the east side to connect the roundabout to Anne Street, meaning the detours on Minnkota Avenue and Technology Drive to Fern Street will continue.

“Probably one of the easiest things about this whole entire corridor that everyone could kind of get behind or everyone could agree on was that there is a safety issue at the Highway 71 and Anne Street intersection,” says TJ Melcher, Minnesota Department of Transportation Public Engagement Coordinator. “They studied a number of different configurations of how to fix it and how to improve it, and the hybrid roundabout is really the one that works the best.”

MnDOT estimates the project will be completed around mid-October.