41st Street in Sioux Falls is officially under construction and in two years the interchange of 41st Street and I-29 will look completely different than it does today.

A cleaver diverging diamond interchange will replace the current antiquated and dangerous one. Traffic will move through the area at a more efficient pace and it will be a great thing.

But first, we have to deal with the heavy construction at one of South Dakota's busiest intersections.

KXRB logo
Get our free mobile app

This is how the interchange should look when the project is done:

Sioux Falls Diverging Diamond Interchange
Dakota News Now (with permission)
loading...

But we're a long way from that.

The City of Sioux Falls and the South Dakota Department of Transportation are working together on the $44 million project. Phase 1 is underway with traffic on 41st Street from between Meadow Ave and to just west of Marion being reduced to one lane. There are major backups in the area, especially during drive times.

South Dakota Drone/Youtube
South Dakota Drone/Youtube
loading...

In the video below from Carsen with South Dakota Drone, you get to see this busy intersection from a bird's eye view. From that vantage point, you can clearly see that the on and off-ramps interchanges were designed and built during a time when Sioux Falls had a significantly lower population. The update is long overdue.

The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024.

Sioux Falls: Then and Now

The City of Sioux Falls has changed dramatically over the past several years. Some of the streets, landscapes, and neighborhoods look vastly different than just 10-15 years ago.

Here's a look at Sioux Falls, then-and-now. See if you can recognize some of these old buildings, businesses, and city streets.

More From KXRB