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The Minnesota Department of Transportation is gearing up for one of the busiest road construction seasons in years in Central Minnesota.

On Thursday, MnDOT unveiled 308 highway, bridge and other transportation projects planned statewide for the 2014 season. The St. Cloud area will see some major work, including an $18 million resurfacing of U.S. Highway 10 and Minnesota Highway 15 in St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids and Sartell that could cause significant traffic delays later this summer.

Two new interchanges will be built this year — at Highway 10 and Benton County Road 2 in Rice and at Highway 15 and 33rd Street South in St. Cloud. Other regional projects include reconstructing a portion of Interstate Highway 94 in Monticello and adding a lane between Rogers and St. Michael. Along with pothole repairs, drivers can expect to see lots of orange cones and work crews along Central Minnesota highways this summer.

"This is a big year for us," said Tim Paul, District 3 project supervisor.

MnDOT Commissioner Charlie Zelle announced the construction projects from St. Paul, calling it a "robust" program that will improve the state's infrastructure and create jobs.

"We expect it to offer smoother, safer, more reliable highways and bridges throughout the state," Zelle said. He said the $1.1 billion construction costs of this year's projects are about the same as last year, and a similar-sized program is expected next year. However, Zelle again expressed concern about a long-term funding shortage for maintaining Minnesota's highways and bridges. He highlighted the potholes that have caused difficult driving on many of the state's roads this year.

"It really indicates underlying condition of our infrastructure needs a long-term solution," he said. The concrete overlay project on Highways 10 and 15 is expected run from July 7 to Aug. 29, with some work extending into 2015. It will involve resurfacing or reconstructing Highway 10 from the railroad tracks west of St. Germain Street in St. Cloud to Benton County Road 4 in Watab Township, plus Highway 15 from Benton Drive to Highway 10 in Sauk Rapids and Sartell.

While the work is going on, traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction, and there will be ramp closures and detours, Paul said. Work will start on westbound Highway 10 and should finish by Oct. 31, Paul said. In the spring of 2015, crews will start on the eastbound lanes, he said.

MnDOT also plans to resurface lanes and ramps at the Highway 10 and 23 interchange in east St. Cloud in August. The $1.6 million project is intended to create a smoother surface and improve pedestrian access. Work also is planned this summer for Highway 23 or Second Street South from Highway 10 to 10th Avenue in Waite Park. That project could result in some short-term lane closures.

District 3 spokesman J.P. Gillach urged drivers to use caution while driving through construction zones. MnDOT already has crews out repairing potholes, and one repair vehicle was recently sideswiped, he said. "Take your driving seriously. We are out there," Gillach said.

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