Porter detour begins August 18 for Hwy 68 Minneota to Marshall project

WILLMAR, Minn. – Construction to replace two culverts north of Porter begins Thursday, August 18 as part of the Highway 68 Minneota to Marshall project. The roadway will be closed from 230th Street north of Porter to Porter’s western city limits.

Traffic will be routed from Porter to Canby on County Road 7, County Road 20, and Highway 75. The detour will be in place approximately four weeks (see attached map for North Porter detour highlighted in blue).
All homes and businesses along the project route will remain accessible during construction. Watch for message boards on Hwy 68, future emails, and social media posts for updated information.

The main detour for Hwy 68 from Minneota to Marshall remains in place for the project duration. Traffic follows Hwy 19 to County Road 5 for Ghent access, and County Road 3 for Minneota access and return to Hwy 68 (see attached map for main detour highlighted in orange).

During culvert replacements south of Porter, Hwy 68 will be detoured to County Roads 7 and 19. The south detour will not start until the north detour has been removed.

The project includes shoulder widening and culvert replacements along 11 miles of Hwy 68 from North Grant Street in Minneota to the Redwood River in Marshall. Drainage repairs near Porter are also part of the project.

Hwy 68 is currently 32 feet wide, with 4-foot paved shoulders and 12-foot driving lanes. After construction is complete, Hwy 68 will have wider shoulders between Minneota and Marshall by adding four feet of gravel on each side of the roadway. Project benefits include enhanced safety and repaired drainage.

The completion date is to be determined.