A portion of the final phase of the Highway 115 project has completed. The north bridge from 3rd St southward out of Dell Rapids was opened by the South Dakota Department of Transportation in the late afternoon hours of Wednesday, September 5th. The north bridge has been closed to traffic since December 4th, 2017 to start the final phase of this major highway construction project.
“It will eliminate the detour, which is be a big relief to the community. It’s been a slog,” said City Administrator Justin Weiland during the Dell Rapids City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 4th.
Construction still continues on Highway 115 from the four-way stop by T&Cs and Dells Auto westward out toward the interstate as projects all across the state are falling behind schedule.
“T&R is doing the Tea-Ellis road, and they’re talking about not even tearing up sections that are supposed to get done this year, and calling it quits and finishing where they’re at right now because they’re not going to get to it. Hopefully they shift some of that man power over here. Everybody’s way, way behind all across the state right now. We might be stuck with this late into the winter season,” Weiland mentioned during the council meeting. 
The first phase of the project, the replacement of the south bridge on Highway 115 and highway replacement to 248th St., began in April of 2016. That section was completed in a little over a year with the bridge and new road opening May of 2017.
The second phase of the $18.8 million Highway 115 project was the replacement of the Interstate 29 interchange at exit 98. That portion of the project was re-opened to traffic on November 29th, 2017.