Temporary road closure planned for T-15 over dam

Highway T-15, at the Lake Red Rock Dam, will be closed to through traffic from Sept. 10 through Sept. 26 for permanent repairs to the highway. Signage will be posted for alternate routes during the closure.

The entrances to the North Overlook campground, south tail-water recreation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers visitor’s center will remain open during this road closure.

Marion County and Ames Construction will conduct the work at both ends of the concrete structure on the dam. Ames Construction is the general construction contractor of the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project (RRHP) that is being built at the dam site.

Missouri River Energy Services (MRES), which supplies wholesale electricity and energy services to 61 communities, including Pella, in the states of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, is building RRHP. When the project is completed in 2019, it will be the second largest hydropower facility in Iowa and will be capable of supplying enough electricity to meet the needs of 18,000 homes.

“We regret that this road closure will inconvenience people in the area, particularly those who use T-15 for daily travel,” said MRES Director of Member Services and Communications Joni Livingston. “We anticipate that this will be the final road repair associated with the RRHP. It will replace the earlier temporary repairs with permanent repairs to fully restore the roadway.”

For more information, contact Member Services and Communications Director Joni Livingston at Missouri River Energy Services, phone: 605-261-3637 or email: joni.livingston@mrenergy.com.