RIVERDALE, ND - Damages to the gate well system that moves water between Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon through the Snake Creek embankment along US Highway 83 have caused lane restrictions that will continue into early January.
A project to place temporary plating over the gate well openings is scheduled for completion on January 8. The currently closed lanes on US 83 will reopen with project completion.
“Public Safety is our main priority and we apologize for the inconvenience the lane closures have caused,” said David Beck, a USACE civil engineer with the Garrison Project.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains the gate well system through the Snake Creek Embankment. Maintenance issues led to a construction contract that was initiated in 2014 to replace the existing manhole covers over six openings in the gate well system. In early 2015, one of the new covers failed and was replaced. On September 21, 2015, a second cover failed and was later replaced.
After an engineering investigation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined an additional 1-inch thick plating is needed for supplemental support over the gate well openings before reopening the all lanes to traffic.
A project to provide permanent repairs is scheduled for mid-year in 2016.
Release no. 20151218-001