NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners learned Tuesday that much of the highway construction work on CR 27 and CR 25 several miles west and south of New Ulm, is progressing well.

“Highway 27 from CR 11 to Highway 14 and CR 25 from CR 11 to CR 13 are close to being done. Striping, shouldering and rumble strips are to be done,” said Brown County Highway Engineer Wayne Stevens in his monthly highway update.

Commissioner Brian Braun said he’s driven CR 27 recently and described it as a very smooth road. He asked Stevens how many inches of bituminous overlay were added to the road.

“Two layers of 1 1/2 inch overlays were added in the past couple weeks,” said Stevens.

Regarding the CSAH 33 (County State Aid Highway) and CSAH 34 project in Sleepy Eye currently underway, Stevens said concrete work including sidewalks, curb and gutter plus intersection sod replacement is planned to resume Wednesday.

The project includes mill and overlay road surface rehabilitation with ADA (American Disabilities Act) improvements including pedestrian ramps at street corners. Road segments are weathering with many cracks, causing the need to rehabilitate pavement.

Work will be funded with municipal and regular state aid funds.

Stevens said CSAH 5 in Springfield is proposed to be closed July 22 to Oct. 5 for a bridge repair project. A bridge study showed bridge abutments were tipping towards the river. The abutments will be reinforced so they won’t move anymore.

Commissioners approved a $236,102 bid for bridge repairs. Stevens said bridge replacement cost would be about $3 million.

“New pavement will be added at each end of the bridge. All the rest of the bridge repair work will be done underneath it,” he added.

A TH 14/CSAH 16 intersection radius improvement project three miles east of Springfield is scheduled to begin in mid to late August, said Stevens.

The road will be widened allowing westbound semi trucks and trailers to turn north on CR 16 from TH 14 to enter the fueling station without entering the southbound lane of CR 16.

In January, Brown County commissioners unanimously approved an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) for the north leg of the intersection.

With recent construction of a truck fueling station the county highway department determined the intersection needed improvement for westbound trucks to safety turn north to go the filling station without entering the oncoming lane.

Under the agreement, the Brown County Highway Department will do most the CSAH 16 work with its staff including grading, aggregate base and bituminous pavement. Costs were estimated at $35,739.

TH 14 right of way work, estimated to cost $15,035.25, will be done by MnDOT, according to the agreement.