MnDOT crews to install rumble strips in Southwest Minnesota
WILLMAR, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation will begin installing rumble strips at highway intersections throughout Southwest Minnesota this June.
Work will occur at multiple locations as crews move from one site to the next. Work will also include installing pavement “Stop Ahead” messages, sign replacements, and sign location adjustments at each location.
The project will begin June 1 and is expected to be completed in early July. Motorists will encounter flaggers and brief delays. Work zones will be brief but will shift frequently as crews progress from site to site.
The project is part of MnDOT’s ongoing efforts to improve intersection safety and reduce fatal and serious‑injury crashes across Southwest Minnesota.
Surface Preparation Technologies, LLC is the contractor on the $472,291 project.
Safety in work zones
Motorists should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including lane closures, lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, slow-moving heavy equipment and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must:
- Obey posted speed limits. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
- Drive undistracted. Avoid using cell phones, mobile devices, adjusting the radio – even eating –while in work zones.
- Move over. Give workers room to safely complete their work.
- Know before you go. Get real-time information about traffic and road conditions at www.511mn.org or get the free 511mn smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
- Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
- Do the zipper merge.
- Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
- Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
Rumble strips are a series of raised or grooved patterns placed across the driving lane, perpendicular to traffic. As a vehicle drives over them, the strips create audible vibration and physical feedback that alerts drivers they are approaching an upcoming stop sign, intersection, curve, or other location where heightened attention is needed. These features are especially effective in rural areas where visual cues may be limited.