GRAND FORKS — A stretch of Highway 59 south of Erskine, Minnesota, is closed as crews make emergency repairs to a section of roadway shoulder near Lake Bensen. The closure is expected to remain in place for approximately two weeks.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, crews will repair a section of eroding roadway embankment by installing deeper sheet piling to reinforce the soil and restore a stable slope along the highway. Lower lake levels have reduced the natural support that typically helps hold the roadway embankment.
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In the meantime, a detour is in place. Traffic will be routed onto Polk County Road 34 near Bradley Lake via County Roads 41 and 206. Prior to the closure, the area was reduced to a single lane while MnDOT prepared an emergency contract for the repair work.