I-29 Improvement in Sioux Falls

[M86]

http://www.sddot.com/projects_I29_26to57.asp
is the SDDOT webpage for the widening and reconstruction.
http://www.siouxfalls.org/publicworks/street_construction/2011_construction/projects/16.aspx
There is the city of Sioux Falls's info on it.
I'm excited to see the new upgrades.  The additional 3rd lanes and auxiliary lane in each direction will almost complete the I-29 corridor improvements between I-90 and the Tea Exit (Exit 73)/Future SD 100.  The next big improvements will be an overhaul of the I-29/I-229 interchange, and possibly a new interchange at 85th Street to the south.  I was really hoping for 69th Street access to be tied in to the I-29/I-229 interchange, but it looks like SDDOT axed that idea (They cited Interstate standards and local traffic flows... but I really beg to differ on that).  Only an overpass/underpass for 69th Street will be constructed in the reconstruction, after looking at the options.
The noise walls/barriers on I-29 will be a first for South Dakota.  When I-29 was reconstructed and widened near 12th Street in Sioux Falls a few years ago, a trailer park community just to the west of I-29 at 12th requested noise walls, but were turned down by SDDOT during that project.  Knowing SDDOT, I'm sure they did traffic noise assessments, however the section near 12th Street does receive slightly more traffic than the section near 49th and 57th Street that will receive the noise walls.

Forgot to add:  SDDOT has an on-going study of the 41st Street corridor between Marion Road and Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls.  They want to improve the 41st Street/I-29 interchange.  The two candidates are a SPUI with a triple left turn on the southbound off ramp (SDDOT loves SPUIs... Sioux Falls has 4 of them), or a Diverging Diamond (I would love to see this!).

[Alex]

What is the status on the South Dakota 100 project? Has Benson Road been extended / paved eastward already?



Benson Road east of I-229. Photo taken 04/20/07.

[Zmapper]

A 5 lane dirt road!  What is this place called Sioux Falls? A city in a third-world country? 

[brad2971]

A 5 lane dirt road!  What is this place called Sioux Falls? A city in a third-world country? 

Look a little closer. That isn't a wide dirt road; it's chip-sealed pavement. Trust me; Sioux Falls has enough resources to help avoid the indignity of letting an urban street turn to gravel in one fell swoop.

[Zmapper]

If it is chip-sealed pavement then what is with the "Pavement Ends" sign? Looking at it on Google Earth it appears to be pavement, then chip-sealed or gravel for 80 yards, then gravel for 2/5ths of a mile, then dirt.

[M86]

What is the status on the South Dakota 100 project? Has Benson Road been extended / paved eastward already?

Sorry it's been so long for a reply!  SD 100 is now fully complete between Arrowhead Parkway (SD 42) and 26th Street.  SDDOT last summer completed a section between Arrowhead and Madison Street that is a 2 lane half of the expressway.  Funding, like always, has been the reason.  The city is really pushing for it, but the state funding has been the bump in the road. 

I'm still puzzled why SDDOT decided to build SD 100 to the north towards I-90.  I would work on it to the south of the actual section (Arrowhead to 26th) they have built.  To the south is where the population is (Lincoln County). 

I have been wondering if SDDOT acquired enough ROW for future interchanges at Arrowhead or 26th... Looking at it, they could probably put them in.  SDDOT loves the SPUIs.  But, they have clearly failed at ROW acquisition with I-29 near 49th/57th Streets in Sioux Falls. 

Future SD 100 (Current SD 11) and Arrowhead and 26th are now stoplights, but they have planned interchanges for Benson Road and 57th Street.  I honestly don't get it.  I need to look at the engineering firm's traffic counts and plans again.

Benson Road, east of I-229, is the same!  I believe the city of Sioux Falls is wanting to improve Benson to the east in the next year or two, but not quite to SD 100.  That segment of Benson, you can drive a ways until you hit dirt/gravel.  Zmapper, the sign is in error.

brad2971, Are you from SF?  You said that all too well.

[Alex]

Sorry it's been so long for a reply!  SD 100 is now fully complete between Arrowhead Parkway (SD 42) and 26th Street.  SDDOT last summer completed a section between Arrowhead and Madison Street that is a 2 lane half of the expressway.  Funding, like always, has been the reason.  The city is really pushing for it, but the state funding has been the bump in the road. 

I'm still puzzled why SDDOT decided to build SD 100 to the north towards I-90.  I would work on it to the south of the actual section (Arrowhead to 26th) they have built.  To the south is where the population is (Lincoln County). 

I have been wondering if SDDOT acquired enough ROW for future interchanges at Arrowhead or 26th... Looking at it, they could probably put them in.  SDDOT loves the SPUIs.  But, they have clearly failed at ROW acquisition with I-29 near 49th/57th Streets in Sioux Falls. 

Future SD 100 (Current SD 11) and Arrowhead and 26th are now stoplights, but they have planned interchanges for Benson Road and 57th Street.  I honestly don't get it.  I need to look at the engineering firm's traffic counts and plans again.

Looking at the current section of future SD-100/current SD-11, the population may be more concentrated to the south, but that new shopping center west of SD-11 and south of SD-42 certainly popped up in no time once the road work got started. Seems to me the adjacent farm land is ripe for additional suburban sprawl to fill in once the road gets extended more north and south. So perhaps that was the incentive to build this stretch of SD-100 first?

[brad2971]

Sorry it's been so long for a reply!  SD 100 is now fully complete between Arrowhead Parkway (SD 42) and 26th Street.  SDDOT last summer completed a section between Arrowhead and Madison Street that is a 2 lane half of the expressway.  Funding, like always, has been the reason.  The city is really pushing for it, but the state funding has been the bump in the road. 

I'm still puzzled why SDDOT decided to build SD 100 to the north towards I-90.  I would work on it to the south of the actual section (Arrowhead to 26th) they have built.  To the south is where the population is (Lincoln County). 

I have been wondering if SDDOT acquired enough ROW for future interchanges at Arrowhead or 26th... Looking at it, they could probably put them in.  SDDOT loves the SPUIs.  But, they have clearly failed at ROW acquisition with I-29 near 49th/57th Streets in Sioux Falls. 

Future SD 100 (Current SD 11) and Arrowhead and 26th are now stoplights, but they have planned interchanges for Benson Road and 57th Street.  I honestly don't get it.  I need to look at the engineering firm's traffic counts and plans again.

Looking at the current section of future SD-100/current SD-11, the population may be more concentrated to the south, but that new shopping center west of SD-11 and south of SD-42 certainly popped up in no time once the road work got started. Seems to me the adjacent farm land is ripe for additional suburban sprawl to fill in once the road gets extended more north and south. So perhaps that was the incentive to build this stretch of SD-100 first?

If SD100 is even a high-priority for either SDDOT or the city of Sioux Falls, both entities (along with Lincoln County) would have likely built a 2-lane interim road along much of the planned route (much like Arizona DOT does with some of its plans). One problem that I'm sure has not been made public is that farm land in that area of the country has gotten...rather expensive of late. Considering that SD100 is cutting across farms and section lines in some parts, that adds up to a big bill. SDDOT and the city may want to redesign the route a bit to follow county roads and old SD11 as much as possible.

I am from Rapid City, so we've seen up close how much drive Sioux Falls has when it comes to growth and development.

[M86]

The shopping complex is expanding...  It has a Target, Kohl's, and a 2nd Sam's Club is planned there, among other tenants.  The section between Arrowhead and 26th definitely should have been the first to be built.  My questioning is the half section SDDOT built between Arrowhead and Madison Street to the north.  Why not work on the section to the south (26th Street to 41st)?

On a side note, I emailed the regional engineers to install street name signage before the stoplights they have now.  The city of SF has street signs on the signal poles, but shouldn't an expressway have advance street name signs? Hopefully once it's fully completed.

I don't think SD100 is a high priority for SDDOT... It's there, but it's in sections.  Their high priorities are rebuilding I-90 and I-29 with new concrete pavement... Which is awesome, and they're very close to their goal... The majority of pavement on Interstate in SD is new, smooth concrete. 

If they fully complete SD100 within 25 years, I'll be happy. 

And the majority of the route is 2 lane county roads/SD Highway 11.  There isn't major congestion because of SD 100 not being built... it's a future thing.  The congestion in SF is due to lack of coordination of ROW on I-29 between 41st & I-229 (57th Street would be perfect for an access point)... Also, the ridiculous I-229/26th Street interchange, and the undersized SPUI at 10th & I-229.  Louise & I-229 backs up too, and the 57th & Louise intersection plays a part in that.  Benson and I-229 had a few issues too.  But again, it's minor congestion.

The ROW for SD100 has already been purchased and accounted for.  It's just a matter of funding from Pierre/SDDOT to get it built.  I know the city of Sioux Falls is really pushing for it.

[X99]

Is there an expected completion date for SD 100?

[SD Mapman]

Not the whole thing; the N-S portion should be done this year.

[M86]

Not the whole thing; the N-S portion should be done this year.

The portion between Arrowhead Parkway/SD 42 and Madison Street will not be completed this year. It's currently a two-lane roadway (They built one side of SD 100). It's an odd gap that needs to be fixed. You can look at it on Google StreetView. I'm not entirely sure why it's like that. I'm sure it all comes down to money and lack of coordination between the City of Sioux Falls and SDDOT.

[X99]

Not the whole thing; the N-S portion should be done this year.

The portion between Arrowhead Parkway/SD 42 and Madison Street will not be completed this year. It's currently a two-lane roadway (They built one side of SD 100). It's an odd gap that needs to be fixed. You can look at it on Google StreetView. I'm not entirely sure why it's like that. I'm sure it all comes down to money and lack of coordination between the City of Sioux Falls and SDDOT.

Sounds about right. The rest of the planned routing is labeled as under construction on OpenStreetMap, as well as all the other roads rerouted to accomodate the highway. All except the extension of Benson Road, which is planned as an SPUI.