Opening Date Announced for New Highway 14 in Southern Minnesota

Travel between Owatonna and Dodge Center is about to change. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) indicates the new, four-lane divided Highway 14 is about to open to traffic. MnDOT informed the Dodge County Commissioners at a recent meeting that the department "is planning on opening the new Highway 14 to traffic on November 1."

In the update, MnDOT reported, "Traffic may to confined to one lane each way on some portions, but the project should be substantially complete. The remaining work involves finishing up interchanges, intersections, and landscaping." MnDOT District 6 Principal Planner gave the board the report.

The Department of Transportation explains, "The project will expand 12.5 miles of Highway 14 from two lanes to four lanes between Dodge Center and Owatonna to complete a continuous four-lane road between Mankato and Rochester. The project is intended to improve the capacity, safety, travel times and access between Rochester and Owatonna, as well as the I-35 corridor."

The construction budget was about $108-million. Shafter Contracting of Shafer, MN is the prime contractor.

Dodge County Commissioners approved a plan to continue winter maintenance on the old Highway 14 for the coming winter. MnDOT will pay the county back for the moment until such time as the new project is complete and total control of the old stretch of highway goes over to the county.

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MnDOT is here to help. Want to learn more about navigating roundabouts, blinking yellow lights and zipper merges, go here.