Construction season: Highway 280 closed until State Fair, 394 closing this weekend
A Road Closed sign as the resurfacing of Colo. 119 continues in Del Camino Tuesday. (Photo by Lewis Geyer/Digital First Media/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The running joke in Minnesota is that two seasons exist in the state for an entire year: Winter and road construction.
This week, construction is overlapping with winter. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has three major projects either already underway or starting soon. Here is a look at the three projects, and their potential traffic impacts.
Highway 280 construction starts Monday
What we know:
MnDOT says it’s making significant improvements to Highway 280 from Interstate 94 in St. Paul to Highway 36/Interstate 35W in Roseville. Motorists can expect a full closure of Highway 280 from I-94 to Highway 36/I-35W to allow crews to resurface pavement, improve drainage and repair bridges.
The closure is expected to last until late August, and it should be open before the start of the Minnesota State Fair.
Interstate 394 closing this weekend
Why you should care:
More work on Interstate 394 between Highway 100 and downtown Minneapolis is underway. Both directions of I-394 will be closed starting at 10 p.m. Friday, and re-opening at 5 a.m. Monday, March 2.
MnDOT says construction crews are working on 34 ramps and bridges between Highway 100 and downtown Minneapolis. There will also be intermittent lane closures on I-94 in Minneapolis.
From February to sometime this summer, westbound I-394 will be reduced to two lanes, using E-ZPass lanes between downtown Minneapolis and Highway 100. The Penn Avenue bridge will be closed.
Interstate 494 closing March 6-9
Dig deeper:
I-494 will be closed in both directions between I-35W and Highway 77 starting at 10 p.m. on March 6, and re-opening at 5 a.m. on Monday, March 9. It’s to allow the second of two bridge removals. The following ramps are closed permanently:
- Eastbound I-494 to Nicollet Avenue
- Nicollet Avenue to westbound I-494
- Westbound I-494 to 12th Avenue
- 12th Avenue ramp to eastbound I-494
- Nicollet Avenue to eastbound I-494
- Westbound I-494 ramp to Nicollet Avenue
What you can do:
Motorists should plan to give themselves extra time depending on where they’re going, and check with MnDOT to get the latest information for ongoing road construction to make your drive easier.