For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Contact:
Jay Noem, Project Manager, 605-981-5089

CUSTER, S.D. – Beginning on Wednesday June 3, 2026, a chip seal project is scheduled to begin on various shoulder segments of U.S. Highway 16 and U.S. Highway 385 in Custer and Pennington Counties.

Routes included with this shoulder chip seal project include the following:  

• Highway 385 from Wind Cave to the city of Custer (mile markers 49 – 66);

• Highway 385 from Three Forks to Sheridan Lake (mile markers 85 – 87); and

• Highway 16 from four miles west of Custer to Jewel Cave (mile markers 15 – 22).

 Traffic control will include the use of a pilot car for and flaggers. Motorists should expect delays of 10 to 15 minutes. Additional work on the project includes brooming and fog seal placement on the recently completed chip seal areas.

The prime contractor on this $558,000 project is Asphalt Surface Technologies Corporation of St. Cloud, MN. The overall project completion date was originally scheduled for September, 2025. The project will conclude by Wednesday, July 1, 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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