OAKDALE, Minn. — Even under the best conditions, road construction can be dangerous, especially if you’re a trucker.
“We’re driving an 80,000-pound load. For us, it’s not easy to stop when someone pulls in front of us,” trucker Joanne McDonough said.
Every time she drives through a construction zone, McDonough says she is on high-alert watching out for other drivers.
However, she’s even more concerned about an ongoing project on Interstate 94 between Oakdale and the St. Croix River.
The 11-mile stretch of road is currently under construction. The $120 million project started in July of 2022 and is expected to wrap up fall of 2024.
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, there have five crashes have occurred within this construction zone this month, including two semis that overturned on consecutive days on July 13 and July 14.
“It’s a concern for us,” McDonough said. “Construction zones are scary, because nine times out of 10, a lot of construction zones don’t put enough of a shoulder in.”
McDonough says that’s her first concern with this project on I-94. In many areas within the construction project, the shoulder — or side of the road — is only a few feet wide. She says it’s not enough room for truckers to pull over and avoid a crash.
Her second concern is what comes after the shoulder — several feet of dirt, sand, or gravel.
"Those sand areas usually aren’t compacted," McDonough said. "So, if we decide to veer off into that, we're going to tumble down the embankment, or whatever it is, because we're just going to keep on rolling."
McDonough suspects that buffer of dirt, sand and gravel likely played a role when two semis that tipped over on I-94 earlier this month. MnDOT says some improvements were made over the weekend to make the project safer.
Here is the statement MnDOT sent to KARE 11 News:
“Crews made changes to the lanes and striping in the I-94 Oakdale to St Croix project area, to help drivers travel through the construction zone. Contractors narrowed the right lane to add more width to the shoulder. Crews also added reflective posts to make the edge of the road more visible to motorists. The modifications made over the weekend were minor, but appear to have made a difference in the short term. MnDOT will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation. MnDOT is also urging motorists to do their part by always being attentive, driving with caution and slowing down in work zones where workers are present.”
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