MNDoT urges SW Minnesotans to attend Highway 23 virtual open house

MnDOT is encouraging community members to attend a virtual open house for the Highway 23 North Gap project. The virtual open house is open to the public and provides information on the Highway 23 expansion project.

Highway 23 is an important interregional corridor that is a key artery for the economy in the region.  It provides the primary east-west route connecting Willmar to Interstate 94 and beyond.  The segment of Highway 23 between Willmar and Interstate 94 is a distance of approximately 53 miles.  Of these 53 miles, all but 16 have been constructed as a four-lane roadway.

The Highway 23 North Gap project is a two-lane to four-lane expansion of Highway 23 from Paynesville to Richmond.  The project received funding through the Corridors of Commerce program.  Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2022 and will take two years to construct.  Due to the extensive nature of the project a detour will be necessary.

The virtual open house is available at www.mndot.gov/d8/projects/hwy23northgap.   Project details, the roadway layout and information on detours are included in the virtual open house.  Community members are invited to attend as it is convenient for them.