In South Dakota, winter means construction season is coming to an end. That’s no different in Sioux Falls, which is finishing up on some enhancements to roadways.
In Sioux Falls, construction season typically runs from March to November, dependent on weather. The city focuses on two primary programs to preserve streets: mill and asphalt overlay and slurry seal.
Mill and asphalt overlay removes street deterioration, restores ride quality and includes related utility and concrete repairs. The City of Sioux Falls said in 2025 it used the program to improve 321 blocks across the city.
Slurry seal addresses minor issues to streets in good condition by applying a mix of asphalt, oil, sand and other additives on top of the existing asphalt. Sioux Falls applied slurry seal to 443 blocks in 2025.
Andy Berg is the City Engineer for Sioux Falls. He said the slurry seal is a street treatment Sioux Falls has decided to use more recently.
“We don’t do any chip sealing in town anymore. Whether it’s replaced it, it’s a newer technology that we’ve chosen to fully utilize it instead of the chip seal, so I guess it has replaced it as what we feel is a better product," Berg said. "There’s less need to go back and sweep up chips that haven’t adhered to the surface.”
He said though construction season isn’t everybody’s favorite, it’s an important part of what the public works team does.
“Our teams along with the DOT and our contractors did a great job keeping the projects moving, on-schedule, wrapping up several of them and then getting those that are multi-year in a place where we’re ready to go for the winter season," Berg said. "I also want to thank our residents and our visitors for their patience, taking extra care while they’re in those construction zones, slowing down, giving themselves more time. This helps keep our crews safe.”
Some projects in the city, like the Cliff Avenue and I-229 interchange, 85th Street and I-29 and South Veterans Parkway projects, are multiyear, so Sioux Falls and the state Department of Transportation will continue to work on.
Information for completed and ongoing street projects in the city can be found at siouxfalls.gov/construction.
