Overnight I-90 detour planned July 15 in Austin to pour concrete bridge deck

ROCHESTER, Minn. —Motorists in both direction on Interstate 90 in Austin will be detoured from 8 p.m. on July 15 to 6 a.m. on July 16, while construction crews pour the concrete bridge deck over the highway at 4th Street Northwest, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

I-90 detours will start at 8 p.m. end the next morning by 6 a.m., so the highway is open during the daytime hours. The work is scheduled to take one night.

This is Year 2 of a three-year $50 million construction project at six sites in Austin. The new bridge will open to traffic at 4th Street Northwest by late fall. Other bridge construction is planned for 2026.

During the overnight closure, motorists will be detoured from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.:

Eastbound I-90 traffic will be detoured off I-90 at Highway 105/Oakland Avenue bridge (Exit 175) on the west side of Austin and follow Highway 105 south and east to Mower County Road 28 east to Highway 218 north and then reconnect with I-90. Eastbound motorists will be able to exit further east at Highway 218 (14th Street Northwest), which is Exit 177, but no travel is allowed beyond on I-90.
Westbound I-90 traffic will be detoured off I-90 at Highway 218 south (Exit 180 B) on the east side of Austin. Travel south on Highway 218 to Mower County Road 28 west to Highway 105 north where it will reconnect with I-90 on the west side of Austin at the Highway 105/Oakland Avenue bridge. Westbound traffic will be able reach Austin destinations by using exits at:

Oakland Place Northeast (Exit 180 A)
11th Drive Northeast (Exit 179)
6th Street Northeast (178B) - No traffic will be allowed past this exit during the nightly closures.

To learn more about the project, visit the MnDOT project website where you can also sign up to receive email and text message updates.

Safety in work zones

Motorists should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including lane closures, lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, slow-moving heavy equipment and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must:

Obey posted speed limits. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
Drive undistracted. Avoid using cell phones, mobile devices, adjusting the radio – even eating –while in work zones.
Move over. Give workers room to safely complete their work.
Know before you go. Get real-time information about traffic and road conditions at www.511mn.org or get the free 511mn smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
Do the zipper merge.
Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.

Stay connected, informed

Check out upcoming MnDOT southeast Minnesota construction projects.
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