SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — Orange cones may soon start appearing on some major roads in Sioux Falls.
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During a March Public Works update from the City of Sioux Falls, officials spoke on three major road construction projects that will impact drivers this year. The three major projects include reconstructing the intersection of Arrowhead Parkway and Veterans Parkway, South Veterans Parkway from Cliff Avenue to Sycamore Avenue and the Cliff Avenue-Interstate 229 interchange.
Arrowhead Parkway and Veterans Parkway intersection
This project is part of a larger project on Arrowhead Parkway to reconstruct the road from east of Sycamore Avenue to the Big Sioux River. Phases 1 and 2a have already been finished with this project being phase 2b. When completed, the new intersection will be the largest in the state.
According to Krista May, Project Engineer with Infrastructure Design Group, construction on the Arrowhead Parkway and Veterans Parkway intersection could begin sometime in March.
The project includes expansion of the intersection to nine total lanes on Veterans Parkway and 10 on Arrowhead Parkway, 3 pedestrian underpasses, 6 retaining walls, a new 18-inch sewer main, a new 12-inch water main and a new storm drainage system, as well as new traffic signals, street lighting, sidewalks and landscaping.
According to the city’s website, the winning contractor T&R Contracting bid just over $39 million for the work reconstructing the intersection of Arrowhead and Veterans parkway.
“We are going to start setting up our temporary traffics signals along the detour routes at 26th Street and Six Mile Road, Madison Street and Six Mile Road, and Madison Street and Highway 11,” May said.
You can view renderings of the project in the photos below.
arrowhead-ph2b_illustrationsDownload
To kick off the construction season, May said the city will start with tree removal along the road and water main construction that could slightly impact traffic.
She added the first year of construction will be mostly grading and utility work on the east side of Veterans Parkway, including sanitary sewer, water main, and storm drainage pipe projects.
Veterans Parkway will remain open during construction with one lane open in each direction at all times. Arrowhead Parkway will be closed east of Veterans Parkway for the duration of the 2025 construction season.
The project is expected to finish sometime in 2026.
Cliff to Sycamore construction
The next segment they discussed during the update was a construction project that would connect Cliff Ave to Sycamore Ave
According to Project Manager Steve Hoff, this project is expected to begin construction in early April.
This project is the penultimate part of the South Veterans Parkway project which would seek to connect I-29 to I-90. This segment is expected to take around 2 years to finish.
Hoff added the project which would connect Sycamore Ave to 57th St is expected to start construction in 2026.
“We will be reconstructing Southeastern Ave and we will have the concrete intersection and then we will taper back to the existing surfacing on Southeastern as well as Sycamore,” Hoff said. “Southeastern will finish this year and Sycamore will maybe finish this year or next year depending on timing.”
Hoff said the project would also create pedestrian underpasses between Cliff Ave. and Southeastern Ave., Southeastern Ave. and Sycamore Ave. It also includes installing ADA-compliant traffic signals and creating an overpass at the BNSF railroad.
The public works department will be hosting a public meeting talking about the construction on Veterans Parkway on March 19 at the Harrisburg East Middle School from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Cliff Ave-Interstate 229 Interchange
The final major project that will impact drivers in Sioux Falls involves the reconstruction of the Cliff Avenue/I-229 Interchange.
Al Murra, Engineer with Short Elliott Hendrickson, said the city had some major sanitary, sewer, and water maintenance as well as private utilities like Xcel Energy that was placing transmission lines near the intersection.
“Construction wont be able to start on the main line at the exit 4 interchange here until after that first week in April and at that point they will begin shifting traffic over to the temporary bridge,” Murra said. “The work on Cliff Ave wont start until after school is out, Cliff Ave will be closed from the bridge to the interchange to the north.”
Murra added during the project Cliff Ave. will be closed from the bridge for the interchange to the north. The bike trail will regain open through construction.
According to the city’s website, the project includes the reconstruction of exit 4 (Cliff Avenue) with added lighting, signals, and mainline Interstate work into a single point urban interchange. They will also be adding a new trail, realigning 41st Street to intersect with the Lincoln High School, and creating entrance sidewalk, and access tunnels for pedestrian use.
The project will also affect Cliff Avenue between 38th Street and the Spencer Park entrance. Additionally, 41st Street will be realigned and reconstructed.
