SDDOT Seeks Comments on Highway 28 Reconstruction Near Lake Poinsett in Hamlin County

Northeast Radio SD News – Lake Poinsett, SD - The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) is soliciting public comments through Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, on a draft environmental evaluation for a proposed reconstruction project along S.D. Highway 28 in Hamlin County stretching from 192nd Street east of Lake Poinsett to 1.2 miles west of Estelline.

Under Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (49 U.S.C. 303) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations at 23 CFR Part 774, transportation agencies are required to make a special effort to preserve public and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites. Public feedback is being sought on the project’s effects on the Almos and Outlet Addition Game Production Area (GPA).

Context from SDDOT Public Involvement Records: In SDDOT public involvement documentation, the corridor reconstruction is listed under Project Number P-B-PT 0028(48)346, PCN 06NG, in Hamlin County. The broader Highway 28 reconstruction project includes grading, interim surfacing, structure replacement, and approach grading to correct horizontal and vertical curves that do not meet a 70-mph design speed, widen substandard shoulders, and improve county road connections.

Highway 28 Realignment and Game Production Area Acreage Impacts

Owned and managed by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP), the Almos and Outlet Addition GPA covers approximately 88.74 acres. The property qualifies for Section 4(f) protection due to its recreational and wildlife attributes, which include public hunting, boat ramp access to Lake Poinsett, bird watching, and photography.

To realign Highway 28 to the south and reconfigure 192nd Street into a “T” intersection with Highway 28, the proposed project would affect the 88.74-acre GPA as follows:

·         Permanent Right-of-Way Acquisition: Approximately 1.53 acres of the GPA (representing 1.72 percent of the total 88.74-acre property) would be permanently incorporated into the highway right-of-way.

·         Abandoned Right-of-Way Transferred to GPA: Approximately 0.75 acres of existing highway right-of-way adjacent to the GPA on the north side of Highway 28 would be abandoned and added to the GPA, resulting in a net permanent change of approximately 0.78 acres (0.88 percent of the GPA).

·         Temporary Construction Easements: Approximately 3.40 acres of the GPA would be temporarily occupied under construction easements during project work.

Based on an examination of the property’s recreational and wildlife attributes during project development, the FHWA intends to issue a Section 4(f) de minimis impact finding, indicating that the planned mitigation measures are expected to result in no adverse effects on the GPA’s protected activities, features, or attributes.

Planned Measures to Maintain Public Access and Minimize Harm

Four mitigation commitments will be incorporated into the project plans and environmental documentation:

1.     Right-of-Way Addition: Approximately 0.75 acres of existing right-of-way on the north side of Highway 28 adjacent to the Almos and Outlet Addition GPA will be abandoned and incorporated into the GPA.

2.     Parking Area Replacement and Coordination: The approach to the designated parking area between Station 27+00 and Station 28+00 will be replaced in-kind. During construction, the SDDOT project engineer will coordinate with GFP Habitat Program Administrator Ryan Wendinger (605-362-2709 or Ryan.Wendinger@state.sd.us) regarding the replacement of existing posts marking the parking area.

3.     Continuous Access During Construction: Public access to the Almos and Outlet Addition GPA will be maintained at all times during construction at either of the property’s two access points located at North Lake Drive (Station 12+85R) and Station 27+40R. Warning signs will notify GPA users of construction activity, access restrictions, and closures.

4.     Equipment and Material Staging Limits: Staging or storage of construction equipment and materials will be prohibited outside the proposed construction limits within the defined boundaries of the Section 4(f) property.

How to Review Project Materials and Submit Public Comments

The public comment period is open through Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026. Residents, landowners, and outdoor recreation users can review the draft Section 4(f) de minimis evaluation and submit comments through the following channels:

·         Online Review: Project materials are posted on the SDDOT environmental public involvement page at https://dot.sd.gov/doing-business/environmental/public-involvement/.

·         Email: Send written comments to SDDOT Environmental Manager Chad Babcock at chad.babcock@state.sd.us.

·         Mail: Send written comments via postal service to Chad Babcock, Environmental Manager, South Dakota Department of Transportation, 700 E. Broadway Ave., Pierre, SD 57501.

Phone Inquiries: For additional information, contact Chad Babcock at 605-773-3721.