Highway 53 Project North Of Duluth Returns To ‘Normal Traffic Pattern’

The road construction project isn't complete, but drivers will experience a little less chaos while going through it.  Officials with the Minnesota Department of Transportation are alerting drivers that the current configuration  that has traffic going in both direction on the "north side" of the divided highway will change back to normal patterns (i.e. south-bound traffic on the usual south-side of the divided highway and north-bound traffic on the usual north-side of the divided highway) at some point on September 13 or September 14 - depending on progress of work crews leading up to it.

The change will impact drivers on Highway 53 from just north of County Road 8 to just north of Midway Road. According to MNDOT, the contractor will maintain a lane closure in both the north bound and south bound directions - primarily the passing lane closed - for the remainder of the project.  Those lane closures will allow for the remaining bituminous paving at median crossings at intersections and the removal of the temporary crossovers.

Additionally, the J-turn intersection that exists at County Road 7 and Industrial Road will be reopened once south bound traffic is switched back over.  The north bound turn lane at the Minnesota State Veteran's Cemetery will remain closed for now with access available via south bound Highway 53 from Caribou Lake Road.

This summer-long project to redo the asphalt paving in that stretch of roadway is anticipated to be wrapped up before the summer road construction season is over. The current timeline available from the Minnesota Department of Transportation shows that they anticipate the work being done and complete on Thursday, September 23.

For more information about this particular project on Highway 53 or any of the road work coordinate by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, click here to visit their official website.  You'll also find information about current traffic conditions.