(KNSI) – A detour for a road expansion project on Highway 23 between Paynesville and Richmond will start Monday. Officails say the highway will be closed from Stearns County Road 33 in Paynesville to Stearns County Road 12 in Richmond. The main detour will be in place until November when it will be lifted for a few months.
People who live or work along the closure will have access from the highway using designated access points. Drivers can expect changes and use of alternate entrances as the project moves forward.
The North Gap project expands nine miles of Highway 23 to four lanes, from Paynesville to Richmond. Also, several intersections will be redone to make the route safer.
The detour will be back in place in May 2023 until November 2023 for the final year of construction.
The North Gap project is part of the three-year expansion project which received funding through the Corridors of Commerce program in May 2018. In addition to the North Gap, the South Gap expansion from New London to Paynesville is scheduled to be built in early 2023 through 2024.
When both gaps are finished, Highway 23 will be four lanes from Willmar to Foley. The North Gap project will cost around $41.75 million.
Minnesota Department of Transportation
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