Thanks to public outcry, additional guardrails will be added at several locations along the newly reopened U.S. Highway 53 into Virginia, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said in a news release.
The entrance and exit ramps for Minnesota Highway 135 to Highway 53 will also see added guard rails. The $230 million bridge and highway relocation project was functionally completed and opened in September.
“Since the project has been open, we have heard concerns from the public - asking for more guardrail,” said Pat Huston, the MnDOT project director. “The initial guardrail was installed according to design standards, but based on input from the public, we gave the entire project an independent review that resulted in a plan to install more. We will add guardrail prior to ending construction this fall on the ramps and several other locations along Highway 53 to make sure the travelling public feels safe.”
Huston added that the ramp installation may cause some traffic delays during construction. He also noted that the project will add more signage at the Highway 135 interchange to better direct motorists to Gilbert and Biwabik.
