Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Hwy 71 and Hwy 23 Resurfacing

Willmar

About the Project

  • 2025: Resurface Hwy 23 Willmar bypass from CR 5 to southwest junction of Hwy 71 and Business Hwy 71
  • 2026: Resurface SB lanes of Hwy 71/23 Willmar bypass from southwest junction of Business Hwy 71 to northeast junction of Business Hwy 71.
  • 2025-26: Replace existing asphalt with concrete pavement
  • 2025-26: Update guardrails and median high tension cables
  • 2025-26: Replace culvertsWork zone and project area for Hwy 71 and 23

Traffic Impacts

This project includes construction staging, lane closures, head-to-head traffic, temporary ramp accesses and closures, and a detour.

2025: Stage 1

  • The Hwy 23 Willmar bypass will be closed from CR 5 to the SW junction of Hwy 71 and Business Hwy 71
  • All four ramps at the Hwy 23 Willmar bypass and CR 5 will be closed
  • Vehicle traffic routed to Hwy 71 and CR 3
  • Semi-truck traffic routed to Hwy 71 and Hwy 7
  • The detour will be in place Aug. 8 - Nov. 1, 2025
  • Click here to view a project map

2026: Stage 2

  • The south/westbound lane of the Hwy 71/23 Willmar bypass will be closed.
  • Traffic will be head to head on the north/eastbound lane.
  • Click here to view a project map

2026: Stage 3

  • The south/westbound lane of the Hyw 71/23 Willmar bypass will be closed.
  • Traffic will be head to head on the north/eastbound lane.
  • The Lakeland Dr. ramps/loops will be closed.
  • Click here to view a project map