Hwy 280 closes until State Fair; I‑394, I‑494 shut on weekends
MnDOT is closing Highway 280 from I‑94 in St. Paul to Hwy 36/I‑35W in Roseville starting Monday and keeping it shut until late August, promising to reopen in time for the Minnesota State Fair while crews resurface pavement, repair bridges and improve drainage. Separately, both directions of I‑394 between Hwy 100 and downtown Minneapolis will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, March 2, as part of work on 34 ramps and bridges, with westbound lanes then reduced to two (using the E‑ZPass lane) into summer and the Penn Avenue bridge closed. A third project will close I‑494 in both directions between I‑35W and Hwy 77 from 10 p.m. March 6 to 5 a.m. March 9 for the second bridge removal in Bloomington/Richfield, alongside permanent closure of six ramps linking Nicollet Avenue and 12th Avenue to I‑494. These overlapping shutdowns will force detours onto I‑94, Hwy 36, I‑35W, Hwy 100 and Hwy 77, and MnDOT is bluntly telling drivers to leave extra time, watch for lane reductions and check 511 before heading out. For Twin Cities commuters, truckers and anyone headed downtown or to the airport, the message is that 2026 construction has arrived early and the old 'winter or road work' joke now describes February reality.
📌 Key Facts
- Highway 280 fully closed from I‑94 to Hwy 36/I‑35W from this week until late August 2026, reopening before the Minnesota State Fair.
- I‑394 fully closed in both directions between Hwy 100 and downtown Minneapolis from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, March 2, with westbound reduced to two lanes using E‑ZPass into summer.
- I‑494 fully closed between I‑35W and Hwy 77 from 10 p.m. March 6 to 5 a.m. March 9, and six Nicollet/12th Avenue ramps to/from I‑494 are now permanently closed.
📊 Relevant Data
Minnesota's population increased from 5,303,925 in 2010 to 5,706,494 in 2020, and to an estimated 5,830,405 in 2025.
Demographics of Minnesota — Wikipedia
Immigration became the leading component of population growth in Minnesota from 2020 to 2024, with over 81,000 new immigrants moving to the state.
Immigration became the leading component of population growth in Minnesota this decade — Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
The number of immigrants in Minnesota increased by 30.6% from 2010 to 2021, compared to a national growth rate of 16%.
The Importance of Immigration in Minnesota — Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
In 2022, the AADT on Highway 280 at Roselawn Avenue was 41,441, and at Robbins Street was 58,214, levels similar to or lower than those in the early 1990s (50,000–58,000).
Highway 280 Traffic Projections: Days of Future Past — Streets.mn
Minnesota faces a maintenance gap of over $1 billion in the state highway system, contributing to the need for projects like the Highway 280 improvements.
Minnesota Must Fix-it-First, Fix-it-Right — Our Streets
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time