SARTELL -- A major road construction project on the Benton County side of Sartell will cause traffic headaches for a number of commuters next summer.

Benton County Engineer Chris Byrd says they will be reconstructing County Road 29 from Benton Drive up to Highway 15. He says as part of the project, the city will be replacing underground utilities.

The work will shut down all westbound traffic and only allow for a single eastbound lane to remain open for the first half of summer.

Byrd says the intersection of County Road 29 and North Benton Drive will also be improved. But, he says ideas for a roundabout there have changed to installing a traffic signal instead.  Byrd says high traffic volume during commute times aren't a good fit for a roundabout there.

The $4.3-million project will include widening County Road 29 to include a center left-turn lane, but won't add any additional traffic lanes.

The project is expected to last most of the summer travel season.

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