ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Motorists who travel Stearns County Road 75 near St. Joseph and Collegeville will encounter delays beginning Saturday, May 21, at 6 a.m., when the road closes between Interstate 94 and Collegeville Road.
Motorists should follow the signed detour along County Road 2 or seek alternate routes.
The closure is needed while crews resurface a short segment of County Road 75 at the I-94/County Road 75 junction. County Road 75 will open by Saturday, May 28.
Also, the existing eastbound lanes of I-94 east of Collegeville are now closed. Much of I-94 between Collegeville and St. Cloud is now a single lane in each direction with head-to-head traffic switched to the westbound side of the road with a reduced speed limit.
Motorists driving in the area should note the following:
· Westbound I-94 between Highway 23 west of St. Cloud and County Road 159 in Collegeville is reduced to a single lane with a reduced speed limit until further notice.
· Eastbound I-94 between County Road 159 in Collegeville and Highway 15 in St. Cloud is reduced to a single lane until further notice.
· Backups of five to eight miles are possible on eastbound I-94 on Sundays between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., with slow and go traffic expected during weekday rush hours.
· Backups of several miles are also possible on westbound I-94 on Fridays between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., with slow and go traffic expected during weekday rush hours.
· More information on future traffic changes will be issued as details become available.
Motorists should check www.511mn.org before they travel, plan alternate routes and stagger travel times to avoid rush hours if possible.
The closures are part of two projects that will resurface and improve segments of I-94 between St. Joseph and Collegeville, and repair two bridges at the I-94/Highway 15 interchange in St. Cloud. The combined projects will provide a smoother ride along six miles of I-94, improve drainage and safety, and extend the life of the bridges and roadway.
For more information on the projects, visit mndot.gov/d3/i94/.For real time travel information anywhere in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org.