Work under way to raise Highway 81

ARLINGTON, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Transportation today announced that work to raise the grade on Highway 81 south of Arlington has begun. The highway has been closed to traffic since March of this year due to high lake levels overtopping the roadway.

“Highway 81 is a major roadway in the eastern part of our state, so this closure has a personal impact on both our people and our economy,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “This grade raise will restore access and help folks in this area get back to a normal routine. We will continue partnering with communities as we rebuild and recover from the storms this spring.”

The contractor will be raising the grade an average of two-feet for a length of two miles from 213^th Street to south of 215^thStreet.

The prime contractor on this $4.1 million project is Prairie States Trucking. The estimated completion date to have it reopen to traffic is the end of October.

The work being done on Highway 81 is a temporary solution; long-term plans are being developed to make the grade raise work permanent in the year 2020 or 2021.