Solid Waste Facility improvement project

Construction Update 9/14/22

Construction to modify the entrance at the Rice County Solid Waste facility has begun.

To ensure the safety of all customers and facility employees, and remain operational during all phases of construction, temporary measures are being implemented at the Rice County Solid Waste Facility. They include:

• Use of the gatehouse at the entrance to direct traffic and take credit/debit card payments from residential customers.
• Installation of a STOP sign ahead of the gatehouse. ALL VEHICLES (including residential customers and commercial haulers)  MUST STOP before proceeding into the facility entrance.
• Enter the facility using the lane to the right (south) of the gatehouse. DO NOT ENTER through the exit lane on the left side (north) of gatehouse.
• After stopping at the STOP sign, residential customers should proceed slowly to the gatehouse where an attendant will assist them. 

Solid Waste Facility employees will do their best to keep traffic flowing. However, there may be a wait to enter the facility. Expect delays. EVERYONE must follow traffic controls including STOPPING at the stop sign and DRIVING SLOWLY while in the facility.  

Additional updates will be provided as construction progresses. Everyone's patience and cooperation during construction is appreciated.

Anyone with questions or concerns should contact the Rice County Solid Waste Facility at 507-332-6833 or speak to a supervisor onsite.

Project overview

Upgrades to the Rice County Solid Waste Facility began Monday, Aug. 22 to meet the needs of an aging facility and a growing county.

After reviewing the options, county officials found that the best solution to improve traffic flow involves adding a lane in each direction, so there will be two ingress lanes and two egress lanes with construction of a scale house in between. Ingress lanes include an ingress scale lane and an ingress flat fee lane serviced by the new proposed scale house. The egress lanes would include the existing scale lane serviced by the new scale house along with a bypass lane for those already paid or not needing to pay.

This will enable customers to enter and exit the facility without needing to park or get out of their vehicle except at the disposal location. It will also allow haulers to continue to enter utilizing unattended mode scale features. 

Another added benefit is better visualization of types of loads coming in, which ensures waste is being disposed of in the appropriate area of the facility.

The Rice County Board of Commissioners approved the advertisement of bids for the project on June 14, 2022. Bids were opened July 7, and on July 12, the board voted unanimously to award the project to the low bidder, Healy Construction Co., of Faribault.

Construction is expected to go through November 2022.