Traveling this weekend? Closures along several metro highways could slow your progress.
Sections of Interstate 94 and Interstate 35E in St. Paul will be closed over the weekend as part of an effort to repair nine bridges across the highways, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Eastbound I-94 will be closed between Minnesota 280 and I-35E from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday, according to MnDOT.
Northbound I-35E will also be closed between Minnesota 5 and University Avenue during the same time period.
The estimated $16.2 million project will also see the full replacement of the John Ireland Boulevard bridge over I-94 to improve safety, biking and accessibility.
Constructed in 1967, the John Ireland Boulevard bridge is currently in safe condition, but in need of a focused structural repair “to ensure it remains safe for travelers based on modern weight limits,” according to the project page. Construction is planned to begin in early October after the Twin Cities Marathon.
During the weekend closures, eastbound I-94 traffic will detour north on Minnesota 280, east on Minnesota 36 and south on I-35E.
Northbound motorists on I-35E will detour east on I-494 and west on I-94, according to MnDOT.
The other bridges scheduled for repair include: Jackson Street, Robert Street, Minnesota Street, Cedar Street, North Wabasha Street, West 10th Street, North Western Avenue, Marion Street and the ramp from Fifth Street to westbound I-94.
Drivers can look up the status of ongoing and future state highway projects at dot.state.mn.us/roadwork.
I-494 closures
From 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, crews will close I-494 in both directions between Minnesota 100 in Edina and Minnesota 77 in Richfield as part of the first phase of the I-494: Airport to Highway 169 vision. Ramps will be closed starting at 8 p.m. Friday.
The signed detour will direct travelers through the area to use Minnesota 100, Minnesota 62, Minnesota 77 and I-494 to get around the closures.
A major construction project, it cannot be built all at once due to funding limitations and impacts during construction, according to MnDOT. As a result, four separate construction projects have been planned to complete the entire I-494 vision.
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The first phase of the project, estimated to cost $377 million, began in spring 2023 and will wrap in fall of next year, according to the project page.
West metro
Eastbound Minnesota 55 will be closed this weekend between Minnesota 100 in Golden Valley and Thomas Avenue in Minneapolis as part of the ongoing effort to repave the highway.
The closure, which starts 10 p.m. Friday and ends 5 a.m. Monday, is necessary to allow crews to continue the road resurfacing project on Minnesota 55, according to MnDOT.
The estimated $7.2 million project will also include repairs to the bridge over the BNSF railroad that runs near Theodore Wirth Regional Park. Construction began in July and is expected to wrap in October, according to the project page.
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