Project
The Hwy 52 corridor between Zumbrota and Cannon Falls is a critical route for both local and regional traffic, serving as a primary connector between the Twin Cities and southeastern Minnesota. However, this section of the highway had been facing significant challenges, including a high incidence of traffic accidents due to outdated road designs, congestion from increasing traffic volumes, and aging infrastructure that required extensive maintenance or replacement. Additionally, several access points along the corridor have resulted in bottlenecks, further reducing the highway's efficiency.
Solution
The $75M project, led by the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOTs) District 6, with KLJ leading the design effort and Mathiowetz Construction Co. (MCC) as the prime construction contractor, began in July 2021 and spanned more than two years. The project focused on replacing aging bridges, rehabilitating pavements, and upgrading drainage systems, which will extend the roadway's life and reduce long-term maintenance costs. Additionally, access points were reconfigured with new ramps and acceleration/deceleration lanes to better accommodate traffic, reduce bottlenecks, and improve overall connectivity.
During procurement, the MCC team, along with KLJ, utilized their expertise and understanding of the design-build process, proposed an alternative technical concept (ATC) that flipped the planned interchange at Hwy 52 and Hwy 57/CR8. This resulted in twin bridges over Hwy 57/CR8 instead of one bridge over Hwy 52. The ATC improved earthwork balance, increased the construction staging area, minimized right-of-way impact, and allowed concurrent work on the Belle Creek Box culvert. The project was staged to minimize hauling by enabling material backhauling, which created efficiencies and ultimately reduced costs for the State while enhancing quality and constructability.
Throughout the project, a variety of advanced technologies were utilized, including the use of Bentley ORD in a 3D environment for project design and the integration of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) for optimizing real-time traffic management. Enhanced pavement markings were also incorporated to accommodate the anticipated navigation of autonomous vehicles, ensuring the project was forward-looking and adaptable to future transportation needs.
Results
The overall purpose for this project was to improve pavement quality and ride on southbound Hwy 52, as well as improve the safety of the Hwy 52 corridor. KLJ’s comprehensive design covered more than 13 miles of roadway, incorporating three interchanges, six bridges, and several Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersections (RCUTs), significantly improving safety for travelers and the local community. The project successfully eliminated at-grade accesses, constructed a new interchange, and ensured safer movement for agricultural equipment in the area, making the Hwy 52 corridor safer for all.
Awards
- 2022 MnDOT AGC Bridge Construction Award for Exceptional Bridge Construction Work on Bridge #25045 | US52 over Hwy 57 in Goodhue County
- 2023 Construction Work Zone Safety Award
- 2024 Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota Merit Award | Category 1 MnDOT New Construction/ Reconstruction
- 2024 Project of the Year – Design-Build Institute of American (DBIA) – Upper Midwest Region.
- 2024 National Award of Merit Transportation (Other than Aviation) – Design-Build Institute of America