The first phase of a major storm sewer replacement project in southwest Minot is set to begin next week, according to the City of Minot.

The Puppy Dog Coulee project will replace nearly 1,600 feet of failing storm sewers with new box culverts to the west, north and east of Dakota Square Mall, the city stated in a news release. The existing metal culverts were installed during the mall’s construction in 1980. The nearly $20 million project has been in discussion and planning since at least 2015.

Phases 1 and 2, which are set to begin the week of April 14, will install new culverts near the intersection of 10th Street Southwest/24th Avenue Southwest on the east side of the mall, near Best Buy and Wings and Rings. The roadway will remain open to vehicle traffic, as work will be completed on one side at a time and a bypass road will be built for traffic.

Phase 3 will install new box culverts on 22nd Avenue Southwest just north of McDonald’s. A section of 22nd Avenue will be closed during this phase.

Phases 4-9 will install new box culverts and other infrastructure on a section of 16th Street Southwest, a portion of 24th Avenue Southwest, and on a section of Dakota Square Road west of Target. Work will also take place between Hotel Revel and Easter Seals. Traffic access will be maintained on 16th Street when work is done on that phase, but a portion of Dakota Square Road will be closed during several phases.

The project has a substantial completion date of July 31, 2026, with final completion by Oct. 2, 2026. Wagner Construction is the general contractor, with a low bid of $19.68 million, which was 11% below the engineering estimate.

The Puppy Dog Coulee drainage basin includes 9,500 acres, extending miles southwest of Minot. The culverts convey stormwater from west of Minot, under 16th Street, through the area of the mall, and to the Highway 2 & 52 ditch.