Westbound lanes of I-494 reopen in Mendota Heights
Lanes of I-494 are blocked due to a semi losing its load on the Minnesota River Bridge on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
Drivers are once again able to use the westbound lanes of I-494 in Mendota Heights after a piece of construction equipment fell off a trailer being hauled by a semi early Tuesday.
The State Patrol says the equipment fell off around 6:50 a.m. as the vehicle was going over the river bridge, falling in the right westbound lane.
The 23-year-old man driving the truck wasn’t injured, according to authorities. In addition, there were no secondary crashes as a result of the incident.
The westbound lanes were then temporarily closed at I-35E, which is where traffic was diverted to during the morning rush hour.
Lanes reopened shortly before 9 a.m., however, delays were still being reported. An interactive traffic map showing current conditions can be found below.