Sioux Falls to start expansion project in preparation for city's growth. Here's what to know

Part of 57th Street in southeastern Sioux Falls will be closed to through traffic as crews work to expand the roadway, but the construction likely won't affect your daily commute.

The 57th Street expansion project will create a new section stretching from Veterans Parkway to Sparta Avenue, where there is now just a gravel road. However, this plan will set Sioux Falls up for future growth in the rapidly expanding area.

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Here's when the project will start and what it entails:

When is construction starting?

Vish Nellore, a civil engineer and program manager for the City of Sioux Falls, said the few residents living along 57th Street east of Veterans Parkway have already been notified of details, and the city will try to give them road access throughout the construction.

The actual construction is expected to start as soon as weather allows and the snow is off the ground. As far as when that will be exactly, it's a bit hard to say.

"We have everything ready to go. We're just waiting," Nellore said. "Every year we face some kind of weather event…. The start of this year has been a bit extreme, I would say. But we do have some protocols in place for before and after a storm to ensure the safety of everyone, and we should be good to wrap up construction by the end of October."

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What work is being done to the roadway?

What is now a gravel section that begins after the stop light on Veterans Parkway will soon be a four-lane road with two lanes going in each direction and a turning lane at each of the intersections.

There will be added sidewalks on both the north and south sides of the street, and the city will also put in conduits for eventual traffic lights.

"We won’t have any traffic lights at the moment with this project, because we haven’t yet met the traffic conditions," Nellore said.

In addition to surface construction, construction crews will also be putting in underground utilities all the way to Six Mile Road. The new surface grading will stop east of Sparta Avenue.

The entire project from Veterans Parkway to Six Mile Road is a little less than a mile long.

57th Street will help pave the way to the future

While this section of 57th Street is currently a less publicly-impacted project compared to others, it will help set the stage for some of the growth expected in the southeastern corner of the city.

Nellore said new sections of Veterans Parkway will also push this into being a heavily traveled road.

Despite there only being a few dwellings there now, nearby developments, like the housing and commercial development at Harvest Creek, indicate it won't be long before the land is put to use.

"This will be a huge benefit to the future development of Sioux Falls," Nellore said. "There’s already so much growth happening around, we just wanted to make sure Sioux Falls is capable of handling that, and this road will ensure that."

Eventually, the city of Sioux Falls plans to build a pump station down the road. And in six or seven years, a new project will take the sewer from Veterans Parkway to the new water reclamation plant.

Where can I find updates on the project?

The City of Sioux Falls has added a homepage for the 57th Street Expansion construction along with other major projects being worked on this season.

Those seeking updates or additional information regarding the project can find them at the city's website. People can also sign up online to receive construction updates for specific projects.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls road construction at 57th, Veterans Parkway to start soon