MANKATO — Victory Drive from Marwood Drive to Extension Street is now open to through traffic.
The road, also referred to as Blue Earth County Road 82, closed in early May to complete storm sewer improvements, concrete curb and gutter, concrete pavement, bituminous trail replacement, traffic signal replacement at Main Street and lighting upgrades, according to a county announcement of the reopening issued Friday afternoon.
This year’s work was the second phase of a $5.8 million project that disrupted traffic flow for two construction seasons between the valley and hilltop portions of Mankato.
Phase 2 construction forced drivers using Main and Fair streets as well as Victory to take detours. A year ago, Phase 1 detours disrupted Victory plus Hoffman Road and Glenwood Avenue. The two-year project followed a $3.2 million upgrade in 2021 of the southern segment of Victory Drive, stretching from just south of Hoffman Road to Stadium Road.
The county urges drivers to use caution in the area as traffic adjusts to the open roadway. Drivers won’t see any major design changes from this year’s work — just a smoother ride following the complete reconstruction of the road surface and the replacement of severely deteriorated pavement, according to Blue Earth County Public Works Director Ryan Thilges.