Latest news with #SouthDakotaDepartmentofTransportation
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Intersection of Highways 37 and 46 getting safety upgrades again, this time for a four-way stop
Apr. 18—TRIPP, S.D. — One of the Mitchell region's most notorious highway intersections is being made safer by the South Dakota Department of Transportation. The SDDOT said Thursday it is beginning an intersection and lighting project that will make the Bon Homme County intersection of State Highways 37 and Highway 46 a four-way stop. The $205,000 project will be completed by July 18 and will improve lighting, pavement markings and signage, the department said. Historically, the intersection has had a stop sign for east-west traffic at Highway 46, while no stop sign for north-south traffic on Highway 37, although the intersection has previously had a caution light for drivers. In 2017, SDDOT installed a Rural Intersection Conflict Warning System, which alerts drivers of vehicles on the intersecting road of oncoming traffic. It was one of the first two intersections in the state to be equipped with that type of signal. The intersection, which is located about 10 miles south of Tripp and 15 miles east of Wagner, had a fatal crash last in 2023, when a driver in an SUV failed to stop at a Highway 46 stop sign and was T-boned by a tractor-trailer on Highway 37. There was also a crash in 2020 that left a person incapacitated at the intersection, according to the state's Crash Analysis Tool. According to traffic data collected in 2024, Highway 37 has about 1,400 vehicles per day in that section and the Highway 46 sections around the intersection average between 500 and 700 vehicles per day. According to a 2022 survey, of the recorded traffic on Highway 37 in that area, about 25% to 30% is truck traffic.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New Pierre-Ft. Pierre bridge to briefly close on Monday
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Traffic across the new Missouri River bridge connecting Pierre and Ft. Pierre will be interrupted for a half-hour on Monday morning, so that the contractor can demolish some of the old bridge next to it. According to the South Dakota Department of Transportation, the new US 14/83 bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. to 9:30 am CT, while the contractor uses explosives known as shaped charges for removal of girders on the old structure. There will be designated viewing areas for people to watch the event. Boats and pedestrian traffic beneath the bridge will be closed for 24 hours. 'All vehicular, pedestrian, and river traffic will be prohibited to enter the restricted area during the bridge girder removal process. Commuters should adjust their travel schedule across the bridge or plan an alternate route during the girder removal and bridge closure,' a SDDOT statement said. Motorists can take an alternative route to cross the Missouri River at Oahe Dam utilizing S.D. Highway 1806, S.D. Highway 204, and S.D. Highway 1804. Two-way traffic shifted onto the new bridge in August. Since then, crews have been taking apart the old bridge. Plazas on the Pierre and Ft. Pierre sides are being constructed for the new bridge. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
Group boosting Tabor to Platte Rail to Trail project seeking feedback from public
Mar. 7—LAKE ANDES, S.D. — Efforts to turn an unused stretch of railroad into a hiking and biking trail continued this week as an advocacy group for the project and the South Dakota Department of Transportation held a series of meetings seeking public feedback on the project, which would transform a 75-mile stretch of tracks into recreational infrastructure. Members of the public trickled into the Lake Andes Community Center Thursday morning for the sixth of eight scheduled open houses held in communities along the proposed trail, which could potentially run as an unbroken recreational trail from Tabor to Platte along the old railroad line built by the Milwaukee Road in 1900. Some are for it, and some have concerns. But officials associated with the project want to hear it all. "(Some landowners along the proposed project) have some legitimate concerns in many cases," Larry Lucas, co-chair of Friends of Tabor to Platte Rail to Trail, a non-profit spearheading the development proposal, told the Mitchell Republic at the meeting. "(But) we're willing to work on those issues with them if at all possible." The group has been working on making the trail a reality for the past few years, promoting the hiking and biking option as a potential boost to local economies, an improvement to the overall quality of life for residents, an appreciation enhancer for South Dakota's rural environments and a public safety improvement by giving walkers and cyclists a dedicated space to exercise away from busy state highways. The trail, proposed to be built with a trail bed 10 feet wide, could run for 75 miles near nine South Dakota communities. Lucas said even as a proponent of the project, he is listening closely to worries. But he said the potential for having a positive effect is high. The economic impact that could trickle down to communities from visitors utilizing the trail is one part, but there are others as well. "There are people we've connected with that want to do trail rides in multiple states. There are people that would come and do this, and then there are people that want to come up and camp nearby," Lucas said. "And another part of it is fitness. There are a lot of people that aren't really healthy and have chronic diseases like diabetes, and recreation will help that, mentally and physically." At one time, the group planned a demonstration project along a portion of the line to show the project's potential. But at a December 2021 meeting with the South Dakota Railroad Board, which owns the rail corridor, the group withdrew that request and instead decided to pursue a feasibility study to gather information, including a focus on potential landowner concerns. That study is being jointly funded by Friends of the Tabor to Platte Rail to Trail and the federal Transportation Alternatives Program, which is administered by the South Dakota Department of Transportation. During the study, a team will analyze the feasibility of converting the rail corridor to a trail, as well as other topics, including financing, support versus opposition and technical issues, such as what improvement would need to be made along the corridor, such as bridges and road crossings. Lucas said his group is funding the study through a federal $250,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant, for which his organization currently is working on raising its 18% matching portion. Potential issues with the trail include livestock producers who have land on both sides of the tracks and how splitting that land would affect their operations, such as the need for crossings and road access. Another concern is landowner protection against liability lawsuits. Concerns vary from landowner to landowner, including Karen Hanan, a resident of Wagner who was at the Lake Andes meeting Thursday talking with officials about increased traffic and potential drainage issues along her property. "I maintain the ditch where the railroad is, and I'm concerned about the traffic it's going to bring past my house. And yet, I'm a big walker, so the idea of the trail is very enticing," Hanlan said. "(But) I have an issue with flooding in the corner, and I don't know if this will make it worse by them putting in culverts or if it will actually help me. I lost a lot of trees in the tree belt six years ago when it was so wet when I was building the house, and I don't want to lose any more." A former longtime resident of Minnesota, Hanlan cherishes the rural, isolated nature provided by South Dakota, but understands the appeal of the project. She plans to keep an eye on the project's progress. "I'm for it, and kind of not so for it," Hanlan chuckled. Steve Gramm, a SDDOT study manager, told the Mitchell Republic that the meetings have been fairly well-attended, drawing around 20 members of the public at each 90-minute stop over three days. He said the feasibility study results would be broken down by the Friends group, and they would decide how to proceed. But the department of transportation is listening, too, he said. "We're trying to see both sides of the story, even those that are kind of sitting on the fence or neutral on it right now. They still have questions. So we're just trying to provide what we can right now," Gramm said. "But what we are really hoping for is to get input back." Lucas said the results of the feasibility study should be available in a tentative form in the next couple of months, with the final report likely coming in August. Results should provide a window looking into how to proceed, including an estimation on total cost of constructing such a trail, or if it is more feasible to break up the 75-mile trail into smaller sections to avoid landowner conflicts. The results will be parsed by a strategic advisory team made up of representatives from townships, local community mayors and members of the Friends group, including Lucas. They'll look at the benefits, but also the big picture, including landowner issues, he said. If they decide to proceed, they will need to seek approval from the South Dakota Railroad Board. The Friends group is working on raising the final part of its matching portion for the study grant, but depending on the results, they could start looking for larger fundraising opportunities to build portions of the trail, including more grants or potential corporate sponsorship or support from area towns. Any support in determining the best course of action, from positive feedback and donations to criticism and concern is welcome, Lucas said. The group will work for the best outcome of all parties, he said. "We're not out there to trespass on anybody's property or to take anybody's property. That is not our objective," Lucas said. "We have some property the state owns and (hopefully) we can use it for a purpose, because it's not being used right now. It probably hasn't been used for 50 years." More information, including access to both the public and landowner surveys and the materials that were available at the informational meetings, can be found on the SDDOT website at More information on the Friends of Tabor to Platte Rail to Trail organization can be found at Surveys, which can also be found at the above SDDOT website, can be submitted through March 23.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Winter weather impacting KELOLAND
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Winter weather is impacting areas across South Dakota, northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota as winter weather advisories, winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings are in effect Tuesday into Wednesday morning. SFPD involved in search for missing baby The main concerns are the combination of snow, blowing snow and very strong winds in the forecast. Here's the latest snowfall amounts, road conditions and closelines. The amount of snow will vary by different locations. According to the KELOLAND Live Doppler HD Storm Center, Snow totals will mainly stay in a 'nuisance' range across the region, with 3 inches or less catching much of the region. Some local banding from Watertown to Winner will be watched, along with heavier totals tonight southeast of Sioux Falls into NW IA and SW MN. Road conditions can change quickly as weather develops. At 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, the South Dakota Department of Transportation said 'rain, freezing rain, snowfall, and extremely high winds are making travel difficult across a large portion of the state.' No Travel Advisories were in place for U.S. Highway 18, U.S. Highway 83, U.S. Highway 183, S.D. Highway 63, S.D. Highway 44, S.D. Highway 49, S.D. Highway 47, and S.D. Highway 53 in south-central South Dakota. The South Dakota Highway Patrol said snow was starting to stick on the roads in northeastern South Dakota near Interstate 29 at the Summit exit. Drivers can get an idea of what to expect on the South Dakota 511 website. For Minnesota, provides road condition updates and has Iowa road conditions. As weather conditions change, check the KELOLAND Closeline for the latest school and businesses closings across South Dakota. Several cities also put snow emergency information on the Closeline. As of noon Tuesday, there were more than a dozen schools closing early. You can watch as the storm moves into South Dakota by visiting our KELOLAND Live Cam page. It includes views from more than 30 communities across our area so you can check as the weather changes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
