Nighttime Hwy 52 lane closures for bridge cleaning begin May 18 in Rochester
ROCHESTER, Minn. – Hwy 52 motorists in Rochester should be alert for overnight lane closures beginning Sunday evening, May 18 as MnDOT bridge maintenance crews clean bridges, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Work will take place from 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. beginning in the evening of May 18 through the morning of May 22. During that work, sand, debris and other material that accumulated during winter are swept up before crews use fresh water in high pressure pumps to spray down the gutter lines and joints of the bridges.
Motorists can expect brief traffic delays with lane closures. Flaggers directing traffic will be in some of the areas and there will be short-term ramp closures in the Civic Center Drive area during the overnight hours.
MnDOT’s three bridge maintenance crews in southeast Minnesota flush more than 400 bridges during this spring maintenance effort.
Bridge locations
MnDOT will clean 25 bridges during this effort. Work will take place on Hwy 52 from 55th Street Northwest to the Hwy 52/63 interchange in south Rochester, as well as on Hwy 63 north of 40th Street and on Olmsted County Road 22 over Hwy 14 West. The work includes bridges over Hwy 52: 55th Street Northwest, 41st Street Northwest, 37th Street Northwest, 19th Street Northwest, 2nd Street Southwest, 6th Street Southwest, Hwy 14 East and 16th Street Southwest. Work will also take place on Hwy 63 near Stewartville.
Safety
Motorists may encounter lane closures or lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, equipment and other unexpected obstacles when driving near or through work zones. MnDOT advises motorists to:
- Find up-to-date information about traffic and road conditions at 511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
- Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
- Go hands-free and minimize other distractions (e.g., don’t eat or drink while driving).
- Follow posted speed limits; the fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
- Avoid making lane changes within work zones.
Stay connected, informed
- Check out other MnDOT southeast Minnesota construction projects and sign up for construction updates.
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