MnDOT Makes Mistake on I-35 Construction, Taxpayers Pay

A mistake happened on Interstate-35 between Forest Lake and North Branch in both the north and southbound lanes. It's 18 miles in both directions, and that means it's a 36-mile fix-it job for MnDOT.

The problem is the inside shoulder and traffic lanes are uneven by less than an inch but big enough to create a safety concern and big enough to bring out the pavers and grinders.

MnDOT will have lane restrictions in place on that stretch of I-35 for the next three to four weeks as road crews correct the problem. MnDOT just spent $9 million to improve that stretch of I-35, and motorists have endured construction delays for more than a year. Now, they will have to face those same restrictions as the fix-it job is completed.

A MnDOT spokesperson tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the agency takes full responsibility for the mistake because they did not put it in the bid specifications for the contractor. MnDOT says it cannot tell us what the extra cost to taxpayers will be until the project is finished.

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