MnDOT: Highway 53 is Most Challenging Project in the Nation
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MOUNTAIN IRON - The clock is ticking on the Highway 53 relocation project in Virginia.
That's because Minntac says it needs to mine there.
MnDOT has narrowed the project down to three routes and they all require extremely tall bridges over mine pits which officials say is making it one of the most challenging projects in the nation.
"There is no other location like this on earth,” explained MnDOT project manager, Roberta Dwyer. “This is one of the very few locations that has the very hard rock that is mined in addition to it being underwater, in addition to being a mix of minerals of previous mining days."
This summer will consist of land and water testing.
The project was supposed to be done by May 2017.
Project officials did not have a completion date.