I-494 Closure Headlines a Busy Week Of New Detours In Minnesota

Earlier this year, MnDOT laid out a full slate of road construction projects rolling out across Minnesota in 2026. Now, one of those work zones is about to get busy all at once.

A run of closures and detours is coming to a portion of I-494 this week — topped by a full weekend shutdown — and the ripple effects will reach far past the neighborhoods the freeway runs through.

That's because I-494 is one of the main routes to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America, so anyone traveling through the metro this week and into this weekend could run into it.

If that weren't enough to navigate, motorists in Minnesota will also face the closure of northbound I-35E ramps to and from Hwy 77 in Eagan and Apple Valley, beginning on July 17 and continuing through the weekend.

Here is how it all breaks down this week, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)

Overnight I-494 Closure, July 14-15

The work starts late on Tuesday. From 10 p.m. July 14 until 5 a.m. Wednesday, July 15, both directions of I-494 will shut down between I-35W and Highway 77 so crews can pour a fresh bridge deck at 12th Avenue South.

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Every ramp along that stretch closes, too. Drivers are routed onto I-35W, Highway 62, and Highway 77.

Portland Avenue to Westbound I-494 Ramp Closure, July 16-20

Beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 16, and lasting until 5 a.m. Monday, July 20, the ramp connecting Portland Avenue to westbound I-494 goes offline. The workaround is American Boulevard over to Penn Avenue.

Overnight I-494 and I-35W Ramp Closures, July 16-17

Overnight into Friday, from 9 p.m. Thursday, July 16, at 5 a.m. July 17, two interchange ramps close: eastbound I-494 to northbound I-35W, and southbound I-35W to eastbound I-494.

Weekend I-494 Closure, July 17-20

This is the big one. Starting at 10 p.m. Friday, July 17, and running until 5 a.m. On Monday, July 20, crews will close I-494 in both directions between Highway 100 and Highway 77 to install pipe crossings and perform other mainline work.

All ramps in that zone also close, with traffic detoured onto Highway 100, Highway 62, and Highway 77. One heads-up for nearby residents: MnDOT warns the job could kick up louder-than-usual construction noise around the clock while it is underway.

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Weekend I-35E Ramp Closure, July 17-20

While the I-494 work is the headline, it is not the only detour drivers will be juggling. Another closure opens up just a few miles away, and it runs right through the same weekend.

As noted above, motorists will also face the closure of the northbound I-35E ramps to and from Highway 77 in Eagan and Apple Valley.

That closure runs from 9 p.m. Friday, July 17, until 5 a.m. Monday, July 20, for repairs tied to the Highway 77/Cedar Avenue project.

Northbound I-35E drivers headed for Highway 77 can loop through the Cliff Road interchange, while Highway 77 traffic bound for northbound I-35E can use I-494 to I-35E.

And the impacts do not end when the weekend does: beginning Monday, July 20, the McAndrews Road ramps to and from Highway 77 close until late August.

Plan Ahead Before You Roll

Keep in mind that every bit of this is weather-dependent and could shift. Before you head out, you can pull up live conditions at 511mn.org, and you should also consider signing up for alerts on the I-494 project page.

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The larger effort — stretching through Bloomington, Edina and Richfield — is aimed at easing congestion and adding new E-ZPass lanes by 2030.

A few minutes of planning could save you a lot of July frustration. Map your detour, give yourself extra time, and ease off the gas where crews are on the job — the people out there are counting on it.