Workers with Musch Construction, Pipestone, are removing and replacing sections of sidewalk, curb and gutter on Main Street in Luverne between Highway 75 and Blue Mound Avenue.
The work so far is affecting the blocks west of the Freeman Street intersection, which is where the parade route starts for Saturday’s Tri-State Band Festival.
“We’re doing what we can to minimize impacts to the band festival,” said Rock County Highway Engineer Mark Sehr, who is supervising the county-state-aid project.
He said the work includes the replacement of all water shut-off curb boxes, which will result in minimal, if any, disruption to water service while the shut-off valves are replaced.
Sehr explained that the work will improve drainage in areas where water was prone to pooling in sunken concrete and also portions of sidewalk that are cracked.
“There is some concrete that was in poor shape, and there are toe catchers in some of the sidewalks that we’re replacing,” Sehr said. Property owners will not be assessed for the improvements.
The new curbs and gutters are being done this fall to prepare for next summer’s new Main Street surface. Four inches of the street surface will be milled off and overlaid between Highway 75 and Blue Mound Avenue.
Sehr said he doesn’t have a start date yet for next summer’s work, but said he’s working with the Luverne Chamber office to lessen impacts on community celebrations, such as the June 3-5 Buffalo Days and the mid-July Hot Dog Night.
During the curb and gutter work there will be areas with restricted parking and at times limited access to the front doors of some businesses.
“Work should move relatively quickly on each block as it progresses,” Sehr said.
The Rock County Highway Department can be reached at 507-283-5010.