For Immediate Release:  Friday, June 14, 2024

Contact:  Jonah Schmagel, Project Engineer, 605-892-2872

BUFFALO, S.D. – During the week of Monday, June 17, 2024, a project is scheduled to begin to extend cattle passes on U.S. Highway 85 near Buffalo. The project is being completed to improve safety by moving the cattle pass openings further away from the roadway shoulders.  

During construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane with flaggers. Motorists can expect construction equipment and workers adjacent to the roadway. The extension of the first cattle pass south of Buffalo is anticipated to take two weeks to complete. Crews are then scheduled to construct the final two extensions north of Buffalo in the fall of 2024.

The prime contractor on this $470,544 project is Hilt Construction, Inc. from Rapid City, SD. The overall completion date for the entire project is Friday, July 18, 2025. 

About SDDOT:

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For the latest on road and weather conditions, road closures, construction work zones, commercial vehicle restrictions, and traffic incidents, please visit https://sd511.org or dial 511.

Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov.

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