Design/Build Big Stone National Auto Tour Roadway Repairs
AGENCY: Department of Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
LOCATION: Odessa, Minnesota
SIZE: $3,225,415
PRIME: AACON General Contractors
AWARD DATE: September 2020
COMPLETED: November 2021
AACON served as the Design-Build contractor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Big Stone National Auto Tour Roadway Repairs project, located within the 11,586-acre Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in western Minnesota. This expansive and environmentally sensitive project involved the rehabilitation of approximately 16 miles of paved and unpaved roadways, parking lots, and asphalt trails throughout the refuge. The work addressed long-standing issues with subgrade instability, erosion, and recurring flooding that had compromised roadway durability and public accessibility.
AACON’s scope of work encompassed full survey and geotechnical services, design development, permitting, and construction. Major components included new culvert installations, roadway elevation adjustments, slope stabilization, and asphalt paving. Stormwater management played a central role in the design, with stormwater conveyance channels strategically routed to reduce erosion and maintain the refuge’s natural water flow. The project also incorporated velocity dissipation devices such as check dams, sediment traps, and riprap to protect wetlands and improve drainage performance.
A key challenge arose from roadway settlement and embankment erosion caused by muskrat burrowing and high-water levels undermining the roadway base. To resolve this, AACON implemented 9,800 linear feet of slope restoration using galvanized chain-link mesh, soil recompaction, and re-vegetation—stabilizing the embankments and preventing future damage. Additionally, roadway grade-raise sections were constructed, with up to six inches of new aggregate base placed to improve drainage and correct elevation deficiencies identified through GPS surveying.
Despite the project’s remote location and the logistical challenges of working within a protected wildlife refuge, AACON maintained efficient scheduling, safe work practices, and continuous coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These partnerships ensured that all construction activities aligned with ecological standards, refuge operations, and seasonal water management requirements.
Through proactive planning, technical precision, and environmental sensitivity, AACON delivered the Big Stone Auto Tour Roadway Repairs project 19 weeks ahead of schedule. The completed improvements enhanced roadway safety, durability, and accessibility for both refuge staff and visitors while preserving the natural landscape and supporting long-term flood resilience across this nationally significant habitat.
