Highway 23, Highway 10 interchange to undergo construction starting in 2023

Sarah Kocher, St. Cloud Times
·2 min read

The U.S. Highway 10 and U.S. Highway 23 interchange will undergo an overhaul starting in 2023.

Minnesota Department of Transportation Project Development Manager Darren Nelson said the project will replace old pavement on Highways 10 and 23 as well as the bridges over Highway 10, which are approaching the end of their lifespans. Additionally, the interchange will be redesigned to address a "pretty significant crash history."

Nelson said MNDOT's goal is to start construction in late spring 2023. It will last two seasons and during construction will require one-lane traffic in each direction on Highways 10 and 23. The estimated project cost is $49 million, though Nelson said that number could change.

A MNDOT sketch of the newly designed Highway 10 and Highway 23 interchange, which will be under construction beginning in 2023.
A MNDOT sketch of the newly designed Highway 10 and Highway 23 interchange, which will be under construction beginning in 2023.

The Highway 10 and Highway 23 interchange will switch from a cloverleaf to a design called a folded diamond. The northern leaves of the clover will be removed, and two new signals will be added at the ramp heads on Highway 23 to allow for left and right turns to access Highway 10.

"We're tightening things in," Nelson said.

More:10-mile stretch of Highway 10 under study to determine improvements for safety, ease of use

This also eliminates some of the merges required with the current intersection design, which Nelson said should improve traffic flow on the north side of the intersection, where there's also heavy traffic surrounding the East St. Germain Street crossing on Highway 10.

Traffic moves through heavy fog at the intersection of Highways 10 and 23 Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, in St. Cloud.
Traffic moves through heavy fog at the intersection of Highways 10 and 23 Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, in St. Cloud.

According to Nelson, MNDOT has been working with the City of St. Cloud regarding Fourth Street SE where it connects with Highway 10. Nelson said together, the City and MNDOT decided to elevate Fourth Street and provide a crossing for pedestrians over Highway 10. This eliminates potential "crash points" and removes Fourth Street SE access. But Nelson also said the city will work on the frontage road system near the intersection of 10 and 23, which would be used for access to Highway 10 from Fourth Street SE.

Furthermore, the interchange is intended to have improved connections for pedestrians and cyclists.

"We're designating a lot more pedestrian connections all the way around," Nelson said.

For more information on the planned changes and a detailed map of the new intersection, visit https://www.dot.state.mn.us/d3/stc/.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Highway 23, Highway 10 interchange improvements starting in 2023