Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Willmar Rail Connector & Industrial Access Project

Willmar Wye

Orange barrels on a highway

Photos

Willmar Wye Groundbreaking Ceremony - July 9, 2019

Willmar Wye groundbreaking with shovels

Willmar Wye Groundbreaking Ceremony with shovels

MnDOT District Engineer Jon Huseby

MnDot District Engineer Jon Huseby

MnDOT Transportation Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher

MnDOT Transportation Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher

Jacki Anderson on behalf of US Congressman Collin Peterson

Jacki Anderson, on behalf of U.S. Congressman Collin Peterson

Chuck Ackman, on behalf of US Senator Amy Klobuchar

Chuck Ackman, on behalf of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar

Jake Schweitzer, on behalf of US Senator Tina Smith

Jake Schweitzer, on behalf of U.S. Senator Tina Smith

Representative Dave Baker

State Representative Dave Baker

State Representative Tim Miller

State Representative Tim Miller

Kandiyohi County Commissioner Roger Imdieke

Kandiyohi County Commissioner Roger Imdieke

Willmar Mayor Marv Calvin

Willmar Mayor Marv Calvin

Kandiyohi-Willmar EDC Executive Director Aaron Backman

Kandiyohi/Willmar EDC Executive Director Aaron Backman

BNSF Executive Director Lydia Bjorge

BNSF Railway Executive Director Lydia Bjorge

Willmar Wye Groundbreaking Ceremony

Willmar Wye Groundbreaking Ceremony

MnDOT Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher and MnDOT District Engineer Jon Huseby

MnDOT Transportation Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher and MnDOT District Engineer Jon Huseby

Week of September 23, 2019

Grading, placing sand cushions, constructing bridge approach embankments

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

Willmar Wye project

October 9, 2019

Excavation northeast of Hwy 40 and CR 55:

Willmar Wye project - excavation northeast of Hwy 40 and CR 55, view 1 Willmar Wye project - excavation northeast of Hwy 40 and CR 55, view 2

Hawk Creek diversion channel under Hwy 40:

Willmar Wye project - Hawk Creek diversion channel under Hwy 40

Willmar Wye project - Hawk Creek diversion channel under Hwy 40

Grading at 1st Avenue and US 12:

Willmar Wye project - grading at 1st Avenue and US 12

Willmar Wye project - grading at 1st Avenue and US 12

Placing storm sewer at the US 12 and CR 5 roundabout:

Placing storm sewer at the US 12 and CR 5 roundabout

Placing storm sewer at the US 12 and CR 5 roundabout

Week of October 14, 2019

South end of Hawk Creek diversion channel

North end of Hawk Creek diversion channel, placing plastic for stabilization

North end of Hawk Creek diversion channel, using a trench box as a dam for existing channel

Preparing to move the existing culvert

Grading at Highway 40 and County Road 55

Grading at US 12 and 1st Avenue

Grading at US 12 and 1st Avenue

Grading at US 12 and 1st Avenue

Grading at US 12 and County Road 5 roundabout

Grading at US 12 and County Road 5 roundabout

Week of October 21, 2019
Equipment sitting idle on Hwy 40 by CR 55 waiting for drier conditions
Aggregate bedding ready for placement of the new box culvert carrying Hawk Creek under Hwy 40
Water sitting in the borrow pit on the northwest corner of Hwy 40 and CR 55
New box culvert waiting for installation (postponed for high winds)

Grade raise on Hwy 40 east of CR 55

Equipment sitting idle on CR 55 by new US 12 waiting for drier conditions

Water on the east end of the new US 12 grade

Week of October 28, 2019

Willmar Municipal Utilities relocating electric power lines

Grading on Highway 40 east of County Road 55 (the low area is where the new bridge will be)

The new box culvert for Hawk Creek under Highway 40

Backfilling the new box culvert

Backfilling the new box culvert

Grading on US 12 - red pickup is just west of the future bridge

Grading on US 12

Curb and gutter at the roundabout at County Road 5 and US 12

Curb and gutter at the roundabout at County Road 5 and US 12

November 1-5, 2019

Paving County Road 5 and the roundabout at US 12 and County Road 5

Outlet of temporary diversion pipe for box culvert placement under new US 12

Excavating the trench for a box culvert under new US 12

Inlet of temporary diversion pipe for box culvert placement under new US 12
New First Avenue frontage road grade
Aggregate bedding for a box culvert under new US 12
Paved County Road 5 and the roundabout at US 12 and County Road 5
Grading on new US 12

Placing embankment on County Road 55 south of Highway 40

Placing embankment on County Road 55 south of Highway 40

Excavation at the borrow pit on the southeast corner of county road 55 and Highway 40

November 12, 2019

Preparing for the installation of an 84" pipe culvert

Grading on nenw US 12

Sitting at the new 1st Ave grade, looking at grading operations on new US 12

Completed box culvert under new US 12

Excavation in borrow pit at SE corner of County Road 55 and Highway 40

Gap in the embankment for the new bridge on US 12

November 19, 2019

Completed 84" pipe under new US 12 west of County Road 5

Installing storm sewer on new US 12 west of County Road 5

Installing storm sewer on new US 12 west of County Road 5

Installing storm sewer on new US 12 west of County Road 5

Aerial photos courtesy of the EDC

Thank you to Aaron Backman, executive director, Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission (EDC) for sharing the following aerial photos of the project. The EDC is a partner in the Willmar Wye public-private partnership. Melissa Knott, EDC marketing and public relations committee chair, took the photos from a plane piloted by Eric Rudningen.

West end of the project looking east

West end of the project looking east

Box culvert on new US 12

Intersection of Hwy 40 and County Road 55

Intersection of new US 12 and County Road 55

New roundabout at CR 5 and new US 12 with current US 12 in foreground.

New US 12 on the left and current US 12 on the right

Intersection of new US 12 and county road 55

New US 12

Borrow pit at west end of the project

December 6, 2019

Box culvert on new US 12 just north of 1st Ave.

Box culvert on new US 12 just north of 1st Ave.

Box culvert on new US 12 just north of 1st Ave.

This is our last post of 2019, have a safe and happy holiday season.