Work Crews on I-94 Project Working Through The Heat

Even with temperatures looming in the hundred-degree mark, work crews on the I-94 project have kept up the work.

"A lot of them start earlier," Albertville city engineer Adam Nafstad said earlier this week.

"They'll do some 11 hour days, starting at 6:30 a.m. and they are drinking lots of water and Gatorade," Head Inspector Steve Hosch said. Hosch is a city of St. Michael employee who previously oversaw the one way pair project in St. Michael.

The main focuses of the work at this point on the project is working on storm sewers, grading and walling. "Foundation and wall panel construction is mainly what's taking place right now," Nafstad reported to the council. One concern and project has been making sure that run off water has a place to go and doesn't stay on the roads. There is a work crew of about 15 who are out daily though throughout the project that number will both go up and down.

The construction is still expected to be completed by the end of November but Nafstad warned that heavy rain could delay that. "If we get a lot of rain, we will be backed up," he said.

Traffic on I-94 should not be affected and there are no scheduled lane closures, however the speed limit has been reduced to 60 mph.

Signage has been ordered and is expected to be placed near the off ramp to inform local traffic that local businesses are open during construction. The owners of have expressed that they are losing approximately $3500 of business a month due to the construction and ramp closure.