Two-day detour on Highway 2 next week

BEMIDJI -- Motorists on U.S. Highway 2 will experience a two-day detour west of Bemidji as crews continue construction of the state Highway 89 overpass. The detour is expected to begin Tuesday and run through Thursday, weather permitting. The exact timing of the detour is contingent upon project progress and weather; public notice will be announced at least a day prior to its implementation, officials said in a release.Officials will be holding an open house about the project at 6 p.m. Thursday in room 151 at the Bemidji Minnesota Department of Transportation building, 3920 Highway 2 West. Residents and business owners are encouraged to attend as project officials and MnDOT staff will be on hand to answer questions, the release said.U.S. Highway 2 is currently reduced to single lane traffic, and Highway 89 is closed for all southbound motorists and eastbound Highway 2 traffic intending to drive north on Highway 89. A full closure of Highway 89 is tentatively set to begin in late August. The intersection reconstruction project will result in a safer intersection with improved turning lanes, intersection lighting, and an overpass for motorists on Highway 89 to access the eastbound lanes of Highway 2, officials said in a release. For more information, visit   www.dot.state.mn.us/getconnected/ .