S.D. Highway 34 near Howes and S.D. Highway 73 South of Faith
Project Summary:
The road surface will be replaced to provide a smoother ride. Crews will repair areas affected by fault heaves. Shoulders will be widened and paved to improve safety. Pipes will be rehabilitated to prevent future failures and improve drainage.
Project Updates:
May 29, 2026:
Anticipated Work in June 2026:
Asphalt paving is scheduled to begin with a thin blade-laid lift to fill the milled grooves in the roadway surface. Mainline paving will follow, with a 2-inch asphalt lift placed over the existing roadway.
May 2026 Completed Work:
The contractor completed pipe repairs and drainage improvements. Crews also completed milling of the existing asphalt surface to produce recycled material for incorporation into the new asphalt pavement and to improve ride quality. Full-depth reclamation of the shoulders was completed by grinding and processing the existing deteriorated asphalt and base course into a new gravel base, which was then shaped and compacted to achieve the final roadway and shoulder profile. The contractor also began applying prime oil to seal the gravel shoulders and improve adhesion of the asphalt pavement that will be placed later.
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May 1, 2026:
Beginning on Monday, May 6, 2026, an asphalt milling project will begin on S.D. Highway 34 from three miles east of White Owl to the Ziebach County Line. Milling will then move to S.D. Highway 73 from Faith south 14 miles.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane with flaggers and a pilot car during construction. Paving operations will begin on both routes after milling and shoulder preparation are completed.