NEWELL—If you have traveled through Newell recently you have probably noticed all of the construction happening. The South Dakota Department of Transportation is undertaking a few big projects.
They started in June with trimming and cutting down many of the big beautiful old trees that lined the highway going through town. DOT is also tearing out and replacing all of the sidewalks along SD Highway 79.
The sidewalks on the west side of the highway are currently closed to foot traffic, but access for pedestrians is allowed on the east side of the road. After they finish the side they are currently working on, they will move to the other side and tear out all of the old cement walks and replace the sidewalks to ADA standards.
The work slows traffic, closes some of the side roads in town and at times takes the two lane highway down to one lane with flaggers.
Beginning Monday August 11, the work inside of Newell will extend to the highway outside of Newell around the 2 mile corner, where highway 79 and U.S. Highway 212 meet. The SD DOT website they will begin work “on an intersection improvement project that will reconstruct the southern intersection of U.S. Highway 212 and S.D. Highway 79.”
This means that the community commuting between Newell and anyplace beyond the 2 mile corner needs to be prepared for a temporary all-way stop at that intersection. Additionally milled surfaces and two-way traffic shifts are planned while the new lanes are constructed.
Work will continue all the way to Nisland as the SD DOT is planning on installing new asphalt from Newell to Nisland.
All of the work is scheduled to be completed by November 14, 2025, so plan accordingly when traveling as the construction will be ongoing for the near future. For more information you can go to the SDDOT website at dot.sd.gov/newell212.
Read the full issue of the Belle Fourche Beacon by clicking here.
