I-494 closes overnight starting June 29 between I-35W, Highway 77
Hwy 280, I-94 and 494 Construction timelines
With the winter cold behind us, road construction has officially ramped up across Minnesota. MnDOT's Kent Barnard joins FOX 9 to provide crucial updates on dozens of projects causing headaches in the metro.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - Drivers should plan ahead as overnight closures are coming to I-494 between I-35W and Highway 77 for bridge work and ongoing improvements.
I-494 overnight closures scheduled
What we know:
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, westbound I-494 will close between Highway 77 and I-35W from 10 p.m. Saturday, June 29 through 5 a.m. Monday, July 1, and again from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night.
Drivers will be detoured to northbound Highway 77, westbound Highway 62 and southbound I-35W. Then, eastbound I-494 will close between Highway 77 and I-35W from 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 1 through 5 a.m. Thursday, July 2. The detour will use northbound I-35W, eastbound Highway 62 and southbound Highway 77.
During these closures, westbound I-494 will also be reduced to one lane between Highway 77 and I-35W, and the ramp from westbound I-494 to Lyndale Avenue will be closed. MnDOT says these closures are necessary so crews can pour the 12th Avenue bridge deck over I-494.
MnDOT urges drivers to stay alert
Why you should care:
These closures are part of a larger effort to improve travel on I-494 in Bloomington, Edina and Richfield. The work aims to reduce congestion, improve travel times and safety, and make it easier for people walking, biking and using transit.
MnDOT urges drivers to stay alert, slow down and use caution in work zones, as all construction activities and traffic impacts are weather dependent and could change. Additional lane reductions and project details
Big picture view:
Starting at 10 p.m. Thursday, July 2 through 5 a.m. Friday, July 3, eastbound I-494 will be reduced to one lane between I-35W and Highway 77. All work is subject to weather and could be rescheduled.
A major goal of the I-494 project is to add E-ZPass lanes from Highway 169 in Edina to Highway 77 in Richfield by 2030. New ramps at the I-35W and I-494 interchange are expected to be completed in 2026, providing safer merging for drivers.
The first phase of construction began in 2023 and will wrap up in fall 2026. The second phase is scheduled for 2027 through fall 2030.
The Source: Information from the Minnesota Department of Transportation in a news release.