Changes coming to Blue Earth Ave. as project starts
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FAIRMONT-- The Blue Earth Avenue project will start in Fairmont next week, on July 27. It includes the area from the roundabout at the start of Downtown Plaza to Highway 15. While at its core it's a mill and overlay, changes will include a reduction from four lanes to three, the addition of a two-way stop sign at the Park Street intersection and a mini roundabout at the Prairie Avenue intersection.
It's the largest road project slated for Fairmont in 2026 as the Park Street reconstruction project has been pushed back a year. In total, the Blue Earth Avenue project, done by M&R Paving, will cost just under $3.3 million, which is being paid for with both federal and city funds.
"We're starting at the roundabout at Prairie. That's the first major component," said Public Works Director, Matthew York. "We're also going to have crews along the whole section doing some of the removals and concrete work at the same time as we're doing the Prairie intersection."
The two existing traffic signals at Park and Prairie are being removed as a traffic study done by the Minnesota Department of Transportation found them to be unwarranted and the state would not help with funding, but it would assist with funding for roundabouts or side street stop signs.
"The city council made the decision to not spend the money on the stop lights and put the money toward other phases of the project," York said.
The traffic study was presented to the city council back in February of 2025 and since then council has had many discussions on the matter. A community open house, held in April of 2025, also took place, as well as an interactive online community survey done through Bolton and Menk.
Council considered feedback from the community as a whole, including the businesses and residents that live along Blue Earth Avenue. While beautification was originally expected to be part of the project, the council at a meeting in March of this year voted not to include beautification aspects such as a turf and tree parkway design and ornamental landscaping, expect for a rain garden addition at the southwest corner of Blue Earth Avenue and Park Street.
Also with this project, Blue Earth Avenue will go from four lanes to three lanes with one through lane each way with a middle turning lane. York shared that there will be minor modifications to the future of on-street parking as a result of the Blue Earth Avenue project but he didn't know the number of additions or losses to current spots.
York said the hope is for the project to be done yet this fall, though he said it's time-dependent and weather-dependent.
"The asphalt will be the last part to be completed and that will be determining whether or not we can get all of the asphalt removed and replaced before winter so we're not running on a non-finished section in winter," York said.
He explained that this project will be different than the Lake Avenue project, which was scheduled for 2025 yet finished this year due to delays.
"That was a total reconstruction," York said. "This is a mill and overlay so you're not doing as much underground work."
Lake Avenue was also kept open for the majority of the project whereas Blue Earth Avenue will have portions of the road closed throughout with signs for detours. Residences and businesses will still be accessible.
"I think it will be a good project once it's completed. It will require that everyone have a little patience and once it's completed, people need to pay attention to the roundabout," York said.
He pointed out that while it will be similar to the roundabout at the start of Downtown Plaza, that one is three-sided while the new one will be four-sided.
"Everyone will need to take their time getting through the intersection," York said.
He added that there will also be pedestrians crossing at Park Street now at the two-way stop sign so people will have to be mindful of that.
The city of Fairmont will be putting out some more information on any portions of road closures as the project progresses.