AASHTO Journal, 6 September 2013
South Dakota Department of Transportation Secretary Darin Bergquist met with Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez last week in Sioux Falls to discuss and visit the Cliff Avenue interchange reconstruction project, stressing the importance of the project to the local economy and safety for all who utilize the interchange.
The $21.1 million project ($15.5 million of which is coming from federal highway funds) includes installing two bridges, concrete pavement, curb and gutter, roadway lighting, traffic signals, permanent signing, and pavement markings. The interchange provides access between Cliff Avenue and I-90 for the roughly 31,650 drivers who use it each day. The new interchange will be especially beneficial for freight traffic, as the previous interchange structures were deemed functionally obsolete because of the bridge’s narrow width (as it was first opened in 1961), while the interchange also experienced problems with its narrow left turn lanes, roadway drainage system, and deteriorating pavement.
“The Cliff Avenue project is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when government entities work together, as this project would not have happened without the cooperation of federal, state, and local agencies,” Bergquist said. “Federal funding is important to keep South Dakota’s infrastructure in good condition to improve rural connectivity and provide a safe roadway for travelers. We appreciate Administrator Mendez taking the time to come to South Dakota to see firsthand how efficiently and effectively the department uses its federal and tax dollars to accomplish that goal.”
“Improving this critical interchange will improve safety for the many drivers who depend on this route every day,” Mendez said in a statement. “This new interchange creates local jobs in the short term and, better still, builds a foundation for Sioux Falls’ continuing economic growth in the long term.”
The project began in April and SDDOT officials say the interchange should be completed in July 2014, though all grading, concrete pavement, lighting, signals, signage, and private property surfacing will be completed in November of this year.
Additional information on the Cliff Avenue interchange project is available here.