This report stemmed from a MnDOT press release on what was then-selected as the preferred alternative for the proposed MN 23 Paynesville bypass.  This was posted on October 1, 2005.

MnDOT preferred alternative for MN 23 Paynesville Bypass

While thumbing through MnDOT news webpages, noticed one from last week announcing the preferred alternative for the Paynesville Bypass on MN 23.

News release at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/d8/newsrels/05/092105mndotannounceswestcor...

The preferred corridor is the "West Corridor" from the DEIS studies.  This corridor passes will be on new alignment (but somewhat close to existing MN 23 south of town), pass east of the Paynesville Municipal Airport (ICAO: K2P3 for the airport-geeks), then pass west and north of the city itself.

Judging from the preferred alternative map, the boundaries look to be Kandiyohi CSAH 6 on the west and 263rd Ave (about halfway between Paynesville and Roscoe) on the east. The project also looks like it will be a full freeway. Full interchanges will be provided at Roseville Rd (on the Kandiyohi/Stearns County line), MN 4/55, and Lake Ave N. Partial interchanges will be provided at an extended Cemetery Rd near the airport (WB on-ramp from Cemetery, EB off-ramp to existing MN 23 near the high school), and a half-directional at the existing MN 23 near the east end of the project (access to/from the east only).

According to the press release, ROW acquisition will begin next spring, with construction expected to start in 2009. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find out much about filling in the rest of the gap between New London and Richmond. After the Paynesville Bypass is built, there will be two gaps in an otherwise 4-lane highway between Willmar and St Cloud: between Kandiyohi CSAH 31 and CSAH 6, and from the NE end of the Paynesville bypass to the west side of Richmond. District 3 lists their gap section (Paynesville to Richmond) as an unfunded need. I haven't gotten any info from District 8 about their segment (New London to Paynesville).

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