Outlines are beginning to become visible of Winona County's first roundabout interchange...and things may get bumpy for a bit for project neighbors.

Curb and gutter was poured along Homer Road on Monday...including segments that start to show by-pass lane alignments and the position of the single lane traffic circle planned for the three way intersection.  While the Homer Road work looks like much of the heavy lifiting has already been accomplished, however, there is still the small matter of tackling the hill on Pleasant Valley Road as it slopes down. 

Plans call for making the angle of descent more gradual for drivers...and County Highway Engineer Dave Kraemer says that will mean blasting activity.  He says drilling for the explosive charges has occurred over the last several days and a test blast was done Tuesday afternoon at about 2:00pm that was noticeable at least a half-mile away.

Blasting is expected to be an every workday occurrence for the next two weeks.  Tuesday's test blast was considerably smaller than the construction blasting is expected to be, according to Kraemer.  Blasting is planned for the end of the workday each day, according to the contractor, unless the work requires twice a day events.

Also in place are the outlines of a new median on Homer Road in front of the Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical Winona campus.  A new left turn lane into the college should alleviate traffic backups that are all too familiar to southbound commuters in the area.