Wood pile burning begins March 3 on Hwy 16 at Whalan in Fillmore County
WHALAN, Minn. – Residents in Whalan and motorists traveling nearby along Hwy 16 may see Minnesota Department of Transportation wood piles being burned during the week of March 3.
The wood is an accumulation of dead and diseased trees that recently were removed by MnDOT maintenance crews to improve safety. Whalan is east of Lanesboro on Hwy 16 in Fillmore County.
MnDOT has a Department of Natural Resources burn permit to do the work and will select days for burning when the conditions are suitable for safety, including weather conditions, wind speeds and direction. Law enforcement and local fire departments will also be alerted for awareness of MnDOT’s activities. MnDOT has used this method at other sites in the southeast Minnesota district.
Maintenance crew members will be monitoring the burning operation to ensure that it is regularly fueled and observed for safety.
During mild winters, MnDOT maintenance crews remove dead and diseased trees, as well as brush that has grown into areas that may pose a safety risk. MnDOT is limited to winter months to complete tree removals, so during light winters, they are able to redirect their work crews to accomplish more of this work.
Safety
Be alert for work zones and slow down. Follow these safe driving tips:
- Obey posted speed limits. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
- Drive undistracted. Avoid using phones, mobile devices, adjusting the radio – even eating – while in work zones.
- Move over. Give workers room to safely complete their work.
- Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
- Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
- Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
- Expect work zones to constantly change. Day to day you could experience lane shifts, closures, narrower lanes, moving workers and vehicles.
Stay connected, informed
- Check out other MnDOT southeast Minnesota construction projects and sign up for construction updates.
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