Duane Hill, MnDOT District Engineer, District One, reports that the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) speed study has been completed for Highway 61 and, “We will be raising the speed limit to 60 for a good portion of the highway. There will be some segments that will remain at 55 miles per hour.
“At this time I do not have a timeframe for changing the signs. There are a number of scheduling issues that we are currently working through. I anticipate the changes will be made late this summer or early fall.”
One thing for drivers to remember, said Hill, is that, “The current speed limit signs still apply until the new signs are installed.”
On the much-discussed topic of rumble strips, Hill said, “The shoulder rumble strip contract start date is August 19th and the contract end date is September 13th. At this time the contractor has not provided a schedule beyond the dates listed in the contract. The project includes 21.5 miles of road in Cook County that will receive sinusoidal shoulder rumble strips.”
Milled sinusoidal rumble strips will be installed intermittently on 12-inch bituminous shoulders and on 8-inch bituminous shoulders along Highway 61 for 21 miles in Cook County.
On the west end of Cook County the locations for the installations are as follows: .83 miles at Taconite Harbor and 5.218 miles in Lutsen going east until about two miles before Grand Marais.
The remaining rumble strips will be put in on the east end of the county starting near the first Co. 14 and continuing until near Reservation River.
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