HAWICK -- More than 160 people showed up to learn more about a plan to expand Highway 23 to four lanes between Paynesville and New London.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is gathering community feedback on the project which would create a four-lane divided highway along that seven-and-a-half mile stretch.

MnDOT spokeswoman Susann Karnowski says there's no construction money set aside for the project yet and they'll take the public comments and use them in their design phase.

Karnowski says they plan to have another public meeting later this summer as they develop their preferred alternative and complete the environmental review.

The project is expected to use existing westbound lanes and create new eastbound lanes in that corridor.

Karnowski says they will also start start the public input process this spring on an eight-and-a-half mile stretch of Highway 23 between Paynesville and Richmond that will be built into four lanes in the future.

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