SDDOT Seeks Public Input on Highway 15 Reconstruction Near Clear Lake and Lake Sutton Game Production Area

Northeast Radio SD News – Deuel County, SD - The South Dakota Department of Transportation is seeking public input on a proposed reconstruction project along S.D. Highway 15 between Clear Lake and the junction of U.S. Highway 212. The project is designed to widen shoulders, re‑establish ditch sections, and correct deficient vertical curves along the corridor.

Because the highway passes directly through the Lake Sutton Game Production Area, the project triggers a federal review under Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966, which requires special consideration for public recreation lands, wildlife areas, and historic sites. The Federal Highway Administration’s regulations at 23 CFR Part 774 require public comment on potential impacts to the game production area, which South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks manages.

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According to SDDOT, the project will require both permanent and temporary easements on the Lake Sutton Game Production Area to stabilize the inslope of Highway 15, an area prone to erosion. Approximately one acre will be permanently incorporated into the transportation facility, with another acre used temporarily during construction. Officials say the minor amount of permanent incorporation “will not adversely affect the recreational use” of the property.

SDDOT outlined several measures to minimize harm, including signage to alert users of construction activity or access changes, restrictions on staging equipment within the 4(f) property boundary, and close coordination with SDGF&P’s Habitat Program Administrator before work begins.

The SDDOT and FHWA intend to issue a Section 4(f) de minimis impact finding, stating that all reasonable planning to minimize harm has been incorporated, the project will not adversely affect recreational features, and mitigation measures are appropriate and acceptable.

Members of the public may review the draft evaluation and submit comments online at dot.sd.gov/doing-business/environmental/public-involvement.

Comments may also be emailed to chad.babcock@state.sd.us or mailed to:

Chad Babcock, Environmental Manager, South Dakota Department of Transportation, 700 E. Broadway Ave. Pierre, SD 57501

Public comment will be accepted through Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026.

For more information, SDDOT Environmental Manager Chad Babcock can be reached at 605‑773‑3721.