BROOKINGS — Planned utility projects in Aurora and White in the upcoming months could make it harder for people living and/or doing business in those communities to get around, but it’s hoped detours will alleviate some of those concerns.

The Brookings County Commission received the update from Banner Associates representatives at last week’s meeting. The plans for the two communities involve a mix of utility-related work. Specifics include sanitary sewer and manhole work in Aurora and, in White, water lines along with sanitary sewer work and storm sewer culverts.

Planned detours in Aurora, where the work will primarily affect portions of Broadway Street (also known as county Highway 23) and Redmond Road, include:

• Going south of town on Highway 23 until reaching its intersection with state Highway 324 (also known as 217th Street), then going west to the interchange with Interstate 29.
• Going north of town on Highway 23 until reaching its intersection with U.S. Highway 14, then going west toward the U.S. Highway 14 Bypass and U.S. 14’s interchange with I-29.

Planned detours in White are aimed mostly at truck traffic; local traffic will have pass-through options. The work there where will primarily affect segments of Second and Fourth streets (including their intersections with Hooker Avenue (also known as 478th Avenue):

• From the intersection of state Highway 30 and 478th Avenue just south of White, continuing west to its interchange with I-29, from where traffic can travel north to I-29’s interchange with state Highway 28.
• From 478th Avenue in Toronto, head west on state Highway 28 to its I-29 interchange, then south on the interstate.

The detour routes for both Aurora and White will be appropriately signed as well.

In other business:

• Commissioners agreed, on a 5-0 vote, to a road-striping contract with Dakota Traffic Services LLC. The estimated cost for this year’s planned work is a little over $170,750. Highway Superintendent Brian Gustad said the work will encompass the entire west side of the county; the east side, he said, was striped last year.

• Approved, on a 5-0 vote, an inmate housing contract with Hamlin County, allowing that county to send inmates to the Brookings County Detention Center at a cost of $95 per day, per inmate.

“This is a new county coming aboard — Watertown is getting fuller and so (they’re) thinking about wanting to come to Brookings,” Sheriff Marty Stanwick said. 

— Contact Mondell Keck at mkeck@brookingsregister.com.