Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

News releases

March 21, 2024

Latest news releases

Aitkin community invited to learn about Highway 169 construction March 26

Meetings at Aitkin Public Library to focus on 2024 construction and detours
BAXTER, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation invites the community to attend a public meeting to learn about 2024 construction plans and impacts on Highway 169 Aitkin to Hassman on Tuesday, March 26.

The public meetings will be held at the Aitkin Public Library Community Room, 110 First Ave. NE, Aitkin.

  • Businesses: 3:30–5 p.m. Presentation at 3:30 p.m., followed by an open forum for questions and answers.
  • Public: 5:30–7 p.m. No presentation; event is drop-in style to better fit individual schedules. Guests may arrive at any time to learn, ask questions and leave at their convenience.

The project team will have the design layouts and detour maps to view and will focus on answering questions about local impacts and work in 2024.

This year marks the second of the two-year, $36.2 million project. Work will occur on Highway 169/210 between the Ripple River in Aitkin and Highway 210 in Hassman. The project will require shoulder and lane closures with flaggers, along with segments of road closures and detours.

Here’s what to expect:

Aitkin to Hassman: Late April to mid-October

  • Reconstruct and close Highway 169/210 between Aitkin County Road 12 and Highway 210, includes underground pipes
  • Detour through McGregor: County Road 12 (400th Avenue) Aitkin, Highway 47, County Road 4 (Dam Lake Street), Highway 65 McGregor, Highway 210

Aitkin: Mid-May to mid-July

  • Reconstruct and close Highway 169/210 between the Ripple River bridge and County Road 12 (400th Avenue)
  • Detour in Aitkin: Highway 169 (Minnesota Avenue), Highway 47 (Fourth Street SE), County Road 12 (400th Avenue)

Hassman: Late July to early September

  • Reconstruct and close the Highway 169 and 210 intersection
  • Detour through Palisade: Highway 210, County Road 5 (Nature Avenue), County Road 3 (480th Street)

When complete in November 2024, travelers will benefit from a wider, smoother and stronger road surface; improved safety, access and traffic flow; and updated drainage.
If you have any questions, contact MnDOT Construction Project Manager Nathan Walton at 218-537-3144 or [email protected]. For more information and to sign up for email updates, visit the project webpage: www.mndot.gov/d3/projects/aitkin-hassman/.
MnDOT invites and encourages participation by all. If you need an ASL, foreign language interpreter, or other reasonable accommodation, or need documents in an alternative format (such as braille or large print), please email your request to Janet Miller at [email protected] or call 651-366-4720.

For more information on projects in central Minnesota, go to mndot.gov/d3/projects, or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/MnDOTcentral.

Periodic lane closures on Highway 169 between Aitkin and Hassman

###