U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leaders and Metro Flood Diversion Authority construction managers told the board July 24 that the project is making steady progress while some schedule shifts persist because of long‑lead equipment and wet weather.

Colonel Matt Chase, who took command of the St. Paul District last Friday, said he toured federal work and the P3-built diversion features and that the Corps is “excited to receive the reroute of the Red River on August 7.” Chase asked board members and staff to attend a planned event marking that milestone.

Terry Williams, the Corps lead project manager, reported that equipment lead times pushed completion dates for the diversion inlet and Wild Rice River structures “out a bit.” He said some embankment contracts are experiencing weather days that will move finish dates — for example, the OHB contract’s Oct. 17 completion is projected to shift by about 20 days because of wet weather.

Construction managers also reported large volumes of channel excavation and several bridge and roadway milestones. The authority’s construction briefing stated that crews have moved about 36,000,000 cubic yards of channel excavation toward a 45,000,000 total channel‑excavation target and that paving and tie‑in work will push traffic back to new bridges along I‑29 and other corridors in the coming weeks.

Project commissioning, O&M transition
Staff said operations and maintenance (O&M) transition planning and project commissioning remain active priorities. Authority Executive Director Jason Benson said the teams are holding detailed meetings on O&M transition, asset transfer, and staffing needs for long‑term operation of the diversion. “We still expect this fall to take ownership of the inlet control structure and the Wild Rice River control structure,” Benson said.

Safety and near‑term milestones
Construction staff reported two minor injuries during the reporting period (one heat‑related incident and one fractured finger); both were described as non‑serious. Staff noted upcoming traffic shifts and detours, and they encouraged the public to consult fmdiversion.gov for the latest traffic notices.

Why this matters
The Red River reroute and opening of key channel reaches are pivotal steps toward project completion and eventual transition to operations. Staff stressed continued coordination among the Corps, P3 partners, and municipal engineering teams to manage permitting, equipment schedules, and commissioning tasks.