Highway 53 Road Work Starts July 13 Near International Falls

A two-year project in International Falls is set to get underway on Monday, July 13.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation is alerting drivers that the pavement rehabilitation and streetscape enhancement project will start in stages.

The State 1A Traffic Pattern will start with a local detour.  That detour will run from 17th Street to 6th Avenue West, then to Industrial Avenue.  Access to businesses will be maintained throughout the project.  Meanwhile, a truck detour will run from County ROad 332 to County Road 156, and then to Highway 11.  MNDOT has a detour map available on their website - click here to see it.

Throughout the project, MNDOT will hold bi-weekly virtual public meetings - Thursdays at 10:30 AM via WebEx - starting on July 8.  Click here for a link from the project page.

For more information about rest stops, projects, and more - click here to get information from their website.

For the time being - as the COVID-19 Pandemic response is in place, MNDOT is working hard to adhere to Governor Tim Walz's Stay at Home executive order. Road work has been identified as a Critical Service by the state and will continue on.

Here are some important reminders from MNDOT about safety in regards to this specific project as well as any of the projects you might encounter this summer:

• Slow down when approaching a work zone
• Use caution when navigating through the marked-off work area
• Stay alert - work zones constantly change
• Watch for workers and slow moving equipment
• Obey the posted speed limits. Fine for a violation in a work zone is $300
• Minimize distractions behind the wheel
• Be patient
• Expect delays - especially during peak travel times

For more information about this specific project or any of the scheduled road work across the state, click here to visit the Minnesota Department of Transportation's online project page.