I-494 Closing Soon In MN: Here’s Your Detour

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN — After it was postponed from last week, a major stretch of Interstate 494 will be shut down in both directions this weekend as crews demolish ramps and begin bridge work over Highway 52 in the Twin Cities metro area, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced.

Here’s what you need to know:

Closures

• Thursday, May 15 (9 p.m.):
  • Ramp from westbound I-494 to southbound Hwy 52 closes
  • Ramp from southbound Hwy 52 to eastbound I-494 closes
• Friday, May 16 (10 p.m.) – Monday, May 19 (5 a.m.):
  • I-494 fully closed between Blaine Avenue and Babcock Trail
  • All Hwy 52 ramps to and from I-494 closed

Detours

• Westbound I-494: Use northbound Hwy 52 to Mendota Road to southbound Hwy 52 to return to westbound I-494
• Eastbound I-494: Use southbound Hwy 52 to eastbound 70th Street to northbound Hwy 52 to return to eastbound I-494

What’s Happening

MnDOT crews are redecking and paving the Hwy 52 bridges and ramps over I-494. After May 19:

• Traffic will run head-to-head on the northbound Hwy 52 bridge between Upper 55th Street and Mendota Road/Southview Boulevard.
• Two ramps will remain closed through July 22:
  • Westbound I-494 to southbound Hwy 52
  • Southbound Hwy 52 to eastbound I-494

Project Timeline

• The work is part of a broader Hwy 52 bridge project using federal infrastructure funding.
• All construction is scheduled to be completed by November 2025, weather permitting.

MnDOT reminds drivers to slow down and stay alert in work zones.