SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A major infrastructure project on north Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls is set to begin soon, bringing significant traffic changes and long-term improvements to utilities in the area.
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City officials recently hosted an open house at the city center to help residents and commuters prepare for the construction, which will affect Minnesota Avenue between 2nd and 8th Streets. With construction season approaching, crews are already preparing for the first phase of work.
The primary goal of the project is to expand the capacity of the city’s water infrastructure by upsizing an existing 36-inch water main to a 42-inch main — a critical improvement designed to support continued growth and strengthen system reliability in central Sioux Falls.
“But while we’re doing that work, we certainly want to take care of all the rest of the utilities and improve those as well,” HDR consultant project manager Paul Sanow said. “So there will be sanitary sewer replacement and there’s two additional water main on either side of the corridor that will also be upgraded, which is what we use for the residential connections to their water services and then fairly significant storm sewer improvements as well.”
In addition to replacing aging underground infrastructure, crews will complete surfacing improvements once utility work is finished, delivering a rebuilt roadway designed for long-term durability.
City engineers say coordinating multiple upgrades at once reduces the need for repeated disruptions in the future and ensures the corridor can handle future residential and commercial development.
Construction will inevitably affect traffic flow along one of the city’s key north-south corridors. However, officials stress that essential services will remain accessible throughout the project.
A concern some people might have during construction is access to the county and law enforcement centers.
“We are maintaining those accesses because obviously they have emergencies to respond to and we don’t want to impair that,” City of Sioux Falls principal engineer Wes Philips said. “So we’re cooperating with them to make sure that they can still get where they need to go.”
Drivers should expect lane reductions for much of the project timeline.
“We will have to close like some of the side streets at times because we’ll be installing a really large, 42-inch water main. We’ll be maintaining traffic through the site, but then, we’ll be down to one lane in each direction for the duration of the project,” Philips said.
Traffic control measures are expected to begin as early as next week. Preparatory work will start first, with major construction ramping up shortly after.
“They’re just going to do some prep work, the major work is going to start on March 9th and that’s when the contractor will start removing the existing road. Once they have the road removed, they’ll be digging the underground utilities and that’s when we’re really see those side street closures,” Philips said.
During construction, on-street parking will be prohibited within the project limits to allow crews room to operate safely and efficiently.
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The project is scheduled for completion in June 2027, making it one of the more extensive infrastructure efforts currently planned in Sioux Falls. While the timeline stretches over more than a year, city leaders say the investment will significantly improve water capacity, stormwater management, and roadway conditions in a high-traffic portion of the city.
Officials encourage residents and commuters to plan alternate routes when possible and to stay informed through weekly project updates provided by the city. Businesses within the corridor are expected to remain open during construction, though access routes may shift as work progresses.
City leaders emphasize that while short-term inconveniences are unavoidable, the long-term improvements will support public safety, economic development, and infrastructure resilience for years to come.
Originally reported by Anya Joseph in Kelo Land.
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