BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has announced an overnight closure of the Interstate 35 and Interstate 494 interchange in Bloomington and Richfield. The closure, scheduled from Monday, April 15, to Tuesday, April 16, will allow crews to pour the concrete deck for a new turbine bridge.
The turbine bridge, also known as a “whirlpool interchange,” features sweeping circles that guide left-turning vehicles around to a right exit. To navigate the closure, drivers are advised to use alternate routes:
- Southbound I-35W drivers should use westbound I-494 to access Penn Avenue, then head east on I-494 to return to southbound I-35W.
- Northbound I-35W drivers may use eastbound I-494 to reach northbound Highway 77, then transition to westbound Highway 62 as a detour.
During the closure, the following lanes and ramps will be affected between 9 p.m. on April 15 and 5 a.m. on April 16:
- Southbound I-35W reduced to one lane between 66th Street and I-494 in Richfield
- Northbound I-35W reduced to one lane between 90th Street and I-494 in Bloomington
- Closure of the westbound I-494 to southbound I-35W ramp
- Closure of the southbound I-35W to eastbound I-494 ramp
- Closure of the 82nd St. ramp to northbound I-35W
- Closure of the eastbound I-494 to northbound I-35W ramp
- Closure of the northbound I-35W to westbound I-494 ramp
Officials advise that weather and other factors may impact construction schedules and closures. For more information, visit the MnDOT project website and access real-time travel information on the 511 map.