For years, whenever the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) held a hearing or public meeting on the Highway 14 project in this area, the main question was, “When are you going to start it?”

MnDOT held another meeting in Courtland on Tuesday to answer questions about the expansion of Highway 14 from two lanes to four from Nicollet to New Ulm. We suspect the big question would be, “When are you going to be done?”

Yes, the Highway 14 expansion project that we have all been waiting for is going to start this spring, as soon as the weather allows. And for the next couple of years we will be living with the detours and inconvenience of a major highway construction project. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is 12.5 miles of four-lane highway.

Most through traffic between New Ulm and Mankato will be traveling on Highway 68. Local traffic between Courtland and Nicollet will be going along Nicollet County Road 25.

Local access for people who have no other access than Highway 14 will be maintained, but there will no doubt be closures as construction continues.

It will take a lot of patience and a lot of communication. We are sure MnDOT will be keeping everyone informed.

As for patience, we have all had plenty of practice in waiting for the state to get around to doing this project. It will be a lifesaver, no doubt about that, and an economic boost when it is finished.