Hard closure on Hwy 34 at the Shell River begins Friday, Aug. 4
Significant local traffic delays also start next week for paving operations
DETROIT LAKES, Minn.—Starting Friday, Aug. 4, local traffic on Highway 34 between Detroit Lakes and Osage will encounter a hard closure at the Shell River just west of Osage, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Work will begin on the large box culvert/bridge replacement at the Shell River, and the road will be impassable in this area for five weeks. During the box culvert/bridge closure, Highway 34 residents and other local traffic will not be able to access Highway 34 from the east near Osage, and will need to use the official detour or find an alternate route to their destination.
Thru-traffic remains detoured to County Road 47, Highway 87 and County Road 29.
In addition to the work at the Shell River, reclaiming and paving will begin next week, Monday, Aug. 7. Crews will start at the contractor’s pit located near Toad Lake, and the operations will move west toward Detroit Lakes. There will be significant local traffic delays during these operations, including multiple pilot cars and flaggers, periodic stops and long waits. Please plan accordingly—these delays will extend travel time on Highway 34.
Business and residential access is being maintained at all times, but be aware of restrictions and major delays in the areas where crews are working.
All schedules and work plans are subject to change at any time based on weather, contractor schedules or other unforeseen circumstances or issues. For more information about the Highway 34 resurfacing project and to sign up for project email updates, visit the project website at mndot.gov/d4/projects/hwy34.
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