Construction Project Scheduled to Begin on U.S. Highway 16A East of Custer

For Immediate Release:
Friday, Sept. 12, 2025

Contact: Matt "Rip" Rippentrop, Project Engineer, 605-673-4948CUSTER, S.D. - Beginning on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, a road construction project is scheduled to begin on U.S. Highway 16A near Custer. The reconstruction project to replace a box culvert structure and multiple pipe culverts is located 14 miles east of Custer or nine miles west of the S.D. Highway 79 intersection. Highway 16A will be closed for two miles from the intersections of Highway 16A/Iron Mountain Road to Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop. This closure will be in place until April 2026. Additional work will include replacing multiple pipe culverts, building gabion walls, and mill and overlay asphalt from Custer State Park's east entrance to the west entrance for 13 miles. Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop and Iron Mountain Road will remain open throughout the project.Detour Routes:During the Highway 16A closure, there will be a detour in place. The detour route is from the intersection of S.D. Highway 36 and Custer County's Ritterberger Road, south two miles to Cobb Road intersection, west one mile on Cobb Road, south one and one-half miles on Cobb Road to the intersection of LH Road, west approximately two miles on LH Road to Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop Road, and then north two miles on the Wildlife Loop Road back to Highway 16A. Motorists should be aware that the detour on Ritterberger Road, Cobb Road, and LH Road includes six miles of gravel. The Wildlife Loop Road is two miles of asphalt with a reduced speed limit of 25 mph. The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) will perform winter maintenance/snow removal on the detour route.S.D. Highway 40 between Hermosa and Keystone also provides a detour option for area motorists.Additional Project Information:There will not be any active road construction work happening during the timeframe of Sept. 22 - 28, 2025, for the Custer State Park's Buffalo Roundup event.Find additional project information at Find additional project information at https://dot.sd.gov/16a-culverts. This website includes project updates, photos, and a downloadable map that demonstrates the project area and the detour route. The prime contractor of this $15.6 million project is Paul Reed Construction & Supply, Inc. of Gering, NE. The overall project completion date is October 2026.About SDDOT:The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to provide a safe and efficient public transportation system.For the latest on road and weather conditions, road closures, construction work zones, commercial vehicle restrictions, and traffic incidents, please visit https://sd511.org or dial 511.Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov.

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