I-90 Austin detour planned Nov. 14-15 to shorten work zone, set barriers

AUSTIN, Minn. – Motorists on Interstate 90 in Austin will be detoured for 24 hours beginning Nov. 14, while construction crews prepare the work zone for traffic to change near the 4th Street Northwest bridge, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

I-90 will close in both directions from 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 14 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, so construction crews can place the concrete barriers in the eastbound lanes where both directions of traffic will continue to drive this winter between 4th Street Northwest and 6th Street Northeast near the Cedar River. The change will reduce the length of the work zone for travelers.

The 4th Street bridge is expected to open to traffic in the coming weeks. The Cedar River westbound I-90 bridge continues under construction and is expected to open this winter in 2026. When the 4th Street bridge opens, motorists will be able to use the westbound on-ramp and the eastbound on- and off-ramps. The off-ramp for westbound I-90 at 4th Street will remain closed as will the westbound I-90 on-ramp at 6th Street until the Cedar River bridge is opened.

During the 24-hour detour, motorists will be detoured:

Eastbound I-90 traffic will be detoured off I-90 at Highway 105/Oakland Avenue bridge (Exit 175) on the west side of Austin and follow Highway 105 south and east to Mower County Road 28 east to Highway 218 north and then reconnect with I-90. Eastbound motorists will be able to exit further east at Highway 218 (14th Street Northwest), which is Exit 177, but no travel is allowed beyond on I-90.
Westbound I-90 traffic will be detoured off I-90 at Highway 218 south (Exit 180 B) on the east side of Austin. Travel south on Highway 218 to Mower County Road 28 west to Highway 105 north where it will reconnect with I-90 on the west side of Austin at the Highway 105/Oakland Avenue bridge.

Westbound traffic will be able reach Austin destinations by using exits at:

Oakland Place Northeast (Exit 180 A)
11th Drive Northeast (Exit 179)
6th Street Northeast (178B) - No traffic will be allowed past this exit during the nightly closures.

This is Year 2 of a three-year $50 million construction project at six sites in Austin. The new bridge will open to traffic at 4th Street Northwest later in November. Other bridge construction is planned for 2026.

To learn more about the project, visit the MnDOT project website where you can also sign up to receive email and text message updates.

Safety in work zones
Motorists should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including lane closures, lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, slow-moving heavy equipment and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must:

Obey posted speed limits. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
Drive undistracted. Avoid using cell phones, mobile devices, adjusting the radio – even eating –while in work zones.
Move over. Give workers room to safely complete their work.
Know before you go. Get real-time information about traffic and road conditions at www.511mn.org or get the free 511mn smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
Do the zipper merge.
Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.

Stay connected, informed

Check out upcoming MnDOT southeast Minnesota construction projects

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