Central South Dakota News

The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) says the third phase of a four-phase project to reconstruct the exit 37 interchange on Interstate 90, near Sturgis, will begin Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. The project includes the reconstruction of the exit 37 interchange, eastbound grading and paving on I-90 from west of exit 37 to the Tilford port of entry, drainage structure extensions, installation of pipe culverts, installation of a commercial vehicle electronic screening system, and the construction of a new port of entry building.

Beginning Friday, March 3, 2023, nighttime closures of I-90 will occur at exit 37 between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. for the installation of the new bridge girders and decking. These closures are anticipated to last through the month of March. Traffic will be routed around the closure via the exit 37 ramps.

Beginning Wednesday, March 1, 2023, traffic will be limited to the driving lane in each direction near exit 37 as the passing lanes will be closed for work in the median. Work in the median will include construction of temporary exit ramp crossovers at exit 37. Traffic will also be limited to the passing lane in each direction between the railroad underpass and exit 40 as the westbound on-ramp and eastbound off-ramp are reconstructed and the railroad multiplate is extended. Both exit ramps will be closed on Wednesday, March, 1, 2023, with a detour in place utilizing exit 44. In the beginning of April, traffic will be placed in a two-way configuration in the westbound lanes between exit 34 and exit 44 as reconstruction work in the eastbound lanes commences.

Phase one of the project included the construction of a center bent for the new bridge at exit 37 and grading of the new exit 37 westbound off-ramp and eastbound on-ramp and off-ramp. Phase two included work in the westbound lanes and median of I-90 to replace drainage culverts, extend box culverts, begin the installation of the commercial vehicle screening system, construction of the exit 37 westbound on-ramp and off-ramp, continue with the construction of the new exit 37 overpass bridge (Pleasant Valley Road), and demolition of the existing port of entry building and beginning construction of the new port of entry building.

Phase three is anticipated to be complete by the end of July 2023. Phase four work and final cleanup will occur after the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally beginning on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. Phase four work includes grading on Pleasant Valley Road at exit 37, removal of the old bridge at exit 37, and removal of median crossovers.

The prime contractor on the $35 million project is Complete Concrete, Inc. of Rapid City. The project is scheduled for completion by Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.

Project information is available on the SDDOT website at https://dot.sd.gov/meadecounty-021g.

Original source can be found here.