Blasting starts soon for West Duluth road construction project

Rock-blasting operations may begin as soon as Monday along 57th Avenue West in West Duluth, St. Louis County officials reported Friday.
Northland Constructors will be doing the blasting in the existing roadway to make way for the installation of new sanitary and storm sewers, water mains and the roadway itself. It’s part of a $10.7 million project to reconstruct a 1.5-mile, L-shaped stretch of 57th Avenue West and Highland Street.
Over the next few months, blasting will occur throughout the project area, but will be focused on small areas at any given time; there may be multiple blasts in a single day. The first area will be between Olney and Huntington streets, and then work will progress along 57th Avenue West toward Highland Street.
Signs will be clearly posted identifying the blasting areas. Crews will employ all required safety measures and notification requirements before, during and after each blasting sequence, the county reported.