SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The 10th and 11th Street viaducts are two of the most important pieces of infrastructure in Sioux Falls.
Every day, thousands of people use the viaducts to make it across the city as one of the most important east-west corridors. Constructed in the 1930s, it’s coming time to replace them, and project leaders want public input.
Ownership of the viaduct structures was transferred to the City of Sioux Falls back in 2006, but the South Dakota Department of Transportation is still responsible for the cost of replacing them.
The 10th Street structure is nearing the end of its life and is planned to be replaced beginning in 2032. The 11th Street structure is planning on a 2036 date.
“Both structures have actually held up very well, but we are getting to that point where we need to start thinking about replacement. And so, that’s what this corridor study is looking at right now,” City of Sioux Falls Engineering Program Manager Shannon Ausen said.
Ausen said the study will take a look at the needs of the community now and in the future, and that will help determine the layout and function of the two new structures.
“This corridor study will actually look at alignment, it will look at if they’re still going to be higher or if they’re going to be lower and pedestrian and bicycle access. Really kind of reinventing the whole area,” Ausen said,
Ausen said one thing that will stay the same is the one-way configuration of the viaducts. As that set of streets is one of the only east-west corridors across the city, the movement still needs that capacity.
She said they’re going to explore methods to reduce speed and work on pedestrian safety. They need input from all of those who live around and use the viaducts to help get a sense of where to go from there.
“We have so many different users downtown. We have the people that live downtown. We have the people that work downtown. We have the people that are coming to downtown for events. There are so many different types of users that we have to be able to make sure our public engagement process gets input, from all those different types,” Ausen said.
Public comment on the initial planning stage is open until December 20. More information about the project and how to comment can be found here.
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