Input wanted on US14, bypass study

Open houses planned in Brookings, Volga next week

Posted

PIERRE – The South Dakota Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the City of Brookings and the City of Volga, will hold two public open houses next week to inform area residents of the beginning of the Highway 14/Highway 14 Bypass Corridor Study.

The meetings start at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, at the Valley Fibercom Conference Room, (209 Kasan Ave.) in Volga and at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27, at the Brookings City & County Government Center chambers (520 Third Street) in Brookings.

The corridors being studied include:

• Highway 14 from the junction with Highway 81 south of Arlington to the junction with the Highway 14 Bypass west of Brookings.

• Highway 14 Bypass (18th Street) from the junction with Highway 14 west of Brookings, to the junction with Highway 14 east of Brookings

This study will not include the Highway 14 corridor (Sixth Street) through Brookings.

The open houses will be informal, allowing for one-on-one discussion with the study team. A brief presentation will be given at approximately 5:40 p.m. 

The purpose of the meetings is to introduce the study to the public and gather input regarding the issues observed and needs desired for the future of the corridor. Area residents, business owners and daily commuters are encouraged to attend and participate in the corridor study. 

The opportunity to present written comments will be provided. Written comments on the first public meeting will be accepted until July 12. 

For those who cannot attend the open house or would like additional information on the overall study, information is available online at www.us14-14bcorridor.com. 

The presentations and displays shown at the open house will be available online within a few days after the open house meeting. The website also allows for online comments to be submitted.

The study team would appreciate hearing from the area commuters, concerned citizens, and adjacent landowners and business owners throughout the study period. 

Notice is further given to individuals with disabilities that this open house is being held in a physically accessible place. Any individuals with disabilities who will require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the open house should submit a request to the department’s ADA coordinator at 605-773-3540 or 1-800-877-1113 (Telecommunication Relay Services for the Deaf). Please request the accommodations no later than two business days prior to the meeting to ensure accommodations are available

For more information, contact Steve Gramm, planning engineer, at 605-773-6641 or by email at steve.gramm@state.sd.us.