By Cooper Seamer

HURON, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Dakota Avenue in Huron is entering into its next phase of construction, from 3rd Street North to 9th Street South.
Mayor Gary Harrington said this project is a continuation of the work done on Dakota Avenue, which is also South Dakota Highway 37, from previous years. However, he said this section will be more complicated because of how the highway also acts as the main street for downtown Huron, and that there aren’t many other examples of that in the state.
“I don’t know how many of our towns or cities in our state have a state highway that runs right down through their main section downtown. But we do,” Harrington said.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation has offered two options up for public comment pertaining to the stretch of Dakota Avenue from Market Street to 5th Street South. Option A would keep it a four-lane road adjusted for new guidelines. Option B would replace the existing configuration with a three-lane road, center turning lane included.
Jeff Pownell is the owner of POP Ice Cream Parlor in Huron, located on Dakota Avenue. He said that going with Option B would help open up more space for not only parking on the road, but would give businesses a boost as it would make foot traffic more comfortable for those shopping downtown.
“Downtown should be a destination. Instead, it’s being defined by the highway. But fortunately, we have an opportunity today to fix this with the three-lane proposal that was given to us by the DOT,” Pownell said.
Rhonda Sprecher is the owner of Don’t Spill The Beans, also in Huron on Dakota Avenue. She said that every business will be affected by the construction once it gets underway regardless of which option is selected. But she said the safety of pedestrians and those next to the highway should be put in a high priority when weighing options.
“It’s not just business-wise. You know, you’re Main Street, it attracts a lot of people, a lot of walking. A lot of people pushing strollers, a lot of different things like that,” Sprecher said.
Harrington said that both options presented are viable for highway traffic. The Huron City Commission did pass a resolution supporting Option B, and Harrington said public input from residents and business owners will help the DOT make the best choice possible for Huron.
“We’re hoping it will draw more people to our downtown area too. To make it more attractive and make people feel like they should come down there to shop more,” Harrington said.
A final design is expected later this year, with construction slated to start in 2024. The South Dakota Department of Transportation is still accepting public comment from residents and businesses, but that closes Friday.