Section of Highway 169 set to open in Elk River on Wednesday

Citlalli Gomez KSTP

Following seven months of construction along a section of Highway 169, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is set to reopen all north and southbound lanes in Elk River between Main Street and 197th Avenue.

According to MnDOT, the following areas are set to reopen on Wednesday, Nov. 1, although agency officials state it will take a full day for them to reopen:

  • The Jackson/193rd Avenue interchange, including the signal system and ramps to and from southbound and northbound Highway 169.
  • The School Street ramps to and from Highway 169.

However, the School Street bridge over Highway 169 will remain closed until mid–November due to work being done on the signal systems located on the bridge.

It was also stated that the following interchange access lanes will be open:

  • School Street/Freeport Avenue—open to/from southbound Highway 169.
  • Elk Hills Drive/Dodge—open to/from northbound Highway 169.
  • School Street—remains closed to through traffic at the bridge over Highway 169.

Despite the openings of these lanes, MnDOT says it expects periodic lane closures during off-peak hours while construction wraps up. The agency warns the temporary access that was used to help local traffic will be removed when the new lanes open, including the signal at Gates Avenue and Main Street as well as the roundabout on Evans Street. Officials also say that off-road work will continue until the winter weather begins.

Road work on Highway 169 and Main Street is expected to resume in spring 2024. Details of work to be done in the spring are expected to be provided early next year. For more information on the project, click here.