Wood pile burning postponed to March 10 on Highway 16 at Whalan
WHALAN, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation is postponing the planned burning of wood piles on Highway 16 at Whalan to the week of March 10 because of forecasted rain and snow this week.
The work was originally planned for 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.
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.
- Search job openings at the Minnesota Management and Budget website and sign up to receive southeast Minnesota job alerts.
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