As flooding plagues the state of Minnesota, some residents are starting to put up sandbags to protect homes, while others are dealing with detours due to high river levels.

On Thursday, Carver’s Main Street bridge closed for the first time in years. There, crews built a levee, and Mayor Courtney Johnson says it should hold to keep water away from the city’s downtown area, which houses historic buildings and businesses.

Although the water hasn’t reached the bridge yet, Mayor Johnson says when the Minnesota River crests, it could back up into the Spring Creek and flow onto the bridge. A levee improvement is in the works in this flood plain area, but for now, the solution is the temporary levee, which hasn’t shut down the bridge since 2014.

Additional rain is expected late Thursday night. CLICK HERE for the latest forecast from Minnesota’s Weather Authority.

Meanwhile, Highway 41 out of Chaska closed from 1st Street to just north of Highway 169 on Thursday morning.

In addition, Highway 11 is set to close at 2 p.m. Thursday. It is the only road going north out of the City of Jordan.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says drivers who violate road closures can face a fine of $1,000 or spend 90 days in jail. An interactive traffic map showing current closures and conditions can be found further below in this article.

Flooding has also caused the Minnesota DNR to close some trails and campsites, including Fort Snelling State Park in St. Paul and Afton State Park near Hastings.

If you plan to visit any park, the DNR says you should check their website for possible closures. You can find a list of parks to check for closures by CLICKING HERE.

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