Cone Zone: Temporary closure for section of I-494 postponed to next weekend

Krystal Frasier KSTP

UPDATE 5/9/25: The Minnesota Department of Transportation says a previously planned weekend closure for a section of I-494 has been postponed.

According to the agency, the closure that was planned for the weekend of May 9-11 will now happen starting at 10 p.m. on Friday, May 16 and last through 5 a.m. on Monday, May 19.

A spokesperson for MnDOT says the postponement is due to some issues causing the crossovers to not be paved in time for the full closure.

MnDOT says the closure will involve both directions of travel between Blaine Avenue and Babcock Trail as well as all ramps of Highway 52 for I-494. The project will involve redecking and repainting the Highway 52 bridges over I-494 so their lifespan is extended.

Before the I-494 closure, crews will close ramps from westbound I-494 to southbound Highway 52 as well as southbound Highway 52 to eastbound I-494 starting at 5 a.m. on Thursday, May 15. Those ramps will be closed through 6 p.m. on Monday, July 21, according to MnDOT. The other ramps will reopen at 5 a.m. on May 19.

The agency adds traffic will be head-to-head on the northbound Highway 52 bridge after May 19 between Upper 55th Street and Mendota Road/Southview Boulevard.

A detour route for traffic traveling in each direction can be found below:

  • Westbound traffic: Take northbound Highway 52 to Mendota Road and then southbound Highway 52 before heading back to westbound I-494.
  • Eastbound traffic: Use southbound Highway 52 to eastbound 70th Street to head to northbound Highway 52 and then back to eastbound I-494.

The article for the initial weekend closure can be found below.

INITIAL STORY 5/8/25: Ramp closures will begin late Thursday ahead of a weekend project on a stretch of I-494 in Inver Grove Heights.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) says ramps from westbound I-494 to southbound Highway 52 – as well as the ramp from southbound Highway 52 to eastbound I-494 – will close at 9 p.m. Thursday. Those ramps will stay closed through Tuesday, July 22.

Then, at 10 p.m. Friday, both east and westbound lanes of I-494 will close between Blaine Avenue and Babcock Trail, as well as all ramps from Highway 52 to I-494.

During the closure, MnDOT says crews will start redecking bridges and paving ramps on Highway 52 over I-494. Crews will also repaint the bridges over I-494. Work is expected to be done in November.

A detour route for traffic traveling in each direction can be found below:

  • Westbound traffic: Take northbound Highway 52 to Mendota Road and then southbound Highway 52 before heading back to westbound I-494.
  • Eastbound traffic: Use southbound Highway 52 to eastbound 70th Street to head to northbound Highway 52 and then back to eastbound I-494.

Traffic lanes and ramps – except for the ramps for westbound I-494 to southbound Highway 52 and for southbound 52 to eastbound I-494- will reopen at 5 a.m. Monday.

In addition, starting Monday, traffic will be head-to-head on the northbound bridge of Highway 52 between Upper 55th Street and Mendota Road/Southview Boulevard.

An interactive traffic map showing current travel conditions can be found below.