Work starts next week on Highway 52 near Zumbrota

Apr. 6—ZUMBROTA, Minn. — The drive to the Twin Cities from Rochester will take a little longer starting next week.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is preparing for a construction project on U.S. Highway 52 between Zumbrota and Cannon Falls starting Monday, April 10, 2023. Crews will reduce traffic to a single lane in both directions north of Zumbrota in two separate work zones, according to MnDOT.

The northern work zone will see traffic on Highway 52 between Goodhue County Road 24 near Cannon Falls and just north of Goodhue County Road 9 traveling in the northbound lanes starting Thursday, April 13, weather permitting. The southern work zone will see traffic between 415th Street — just north of Goodhue County Road 50 — to just north of Goodhue County Road 68 (445th Street) in Zumbrota traveling in the northbound lanes starting the week of April 17.

Motorist can expect single-lane closures, lane shifts and single lanes of traffic in each direction on the northbound lanes. Signs will give advance notice of lane changes, MnDOT said.

Permanent township and county road access closures to Highway 52 will occur in conjunction with the Highway 52 single lane of traffic in each direction. These closures are permanent to improve long-term safety along Highway 52 by reducing uncontrolled intersection access. Those closures include:

* County Road 14 to Highway 52 (southbound) starting April 13.

* Close access of County Road 1 (southbound and northbound) starting April 13.

* County Road 50 Boulevard to Highway 52 (southbound and northbound) starting April 17.

* 142nd Avenue Way (southbound) starting April 17.

Additional county and township roads along with driveways will have access restrictions to Highway 52 in conjunction with the single lane of traffic in each direction on the northbound lanes. The restrictions will prohibit the use of left turns to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Access to and from the following roads will be limited to right-in and right-out movements only.

Roads with restricted access include:

* Skunk Hollow Trail, April 13.

* Wagner Hill Way, April 13.

* Additional local roads and driveways in the northern work zone, April 13.

* 145th Avenue Way, April 17.

* Goodhue County Road 7, April 17.

* Sherwood Trail, April 17.

* 165th Avenue — Closed west of Highway 52 (southbound), April 17.

The construction represents the

third year of a three-year, $69.7 million resurfacing and reconstruction project

that included replacement of bridges and, notably, the

construction of an interchange

and underpass where Minnesota Highway 57 and Goodhue County Road 8 meet Highway 52 near Hader.

For more information on the project, visit

dot.state.mn.us/d6/projects/hwy52-hader-southbound-improvements.