The Minnesota Department of Transportation recently closed Highway 40 briefly to mark out turn lanes for a project connecting Highway 40 to the Industrial Park land. This project will include the construction of left- and right-turn lanes to improve traffic movement through intersections in the area. The project is part of the development of the Willmar Rail Park, which will feature an 8,000-foot rail loop connected to the Willmar Wye Railroad bypass. The city of Willmar was awarded a $900,000 Transportation Economic Development grant to upgrade Highway 40 to accommodate the additional traffic. The Transportation Economic Development Program aims to fund projects that lead to economic benefits in the area and Highway 40 qualifies as a trunk highway in this program. The project is planned for construction in 2025, with a detour set to be in place for about a month during construction. The program has around $4.445 million available to fund construction projects between 2025 and 2027, with government entities in Greater Minnesota eligible to apply for funding. Overall, the project aims to improve infrastructure and support economic development in the Willmar area.
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