ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Motorists on Interstate 94 between St. Cloud and Collegeville should expect delays and plan their travel in advance as a series of traffic changes begin when the ramp from Stearns County Road 2 to westbound I-94 closes Thursday, Aug. 4.
On Friday, Aug. 5, the ramp from westbound I-94 to County Road 2 also will close.
Both ramps connecting westbound I-94 and County Road 2 will remain closed until further notice. Motorists should use either the I-94/Highway 23 interchange or the I-94/CR 159 interchange.
Motorists who travel I-94 should also note the following:
· All lanes of westbound I-94 at Highway 15 in St. Cloud will open permanently Friday, Aug. 5.
· I-94 will remain a single lane in each direction west of St. Cloud to Collegeville, between Highway 23 and County Road 159, 24 hours per day until further notice.
· Two ramps remain closed at the I-94/Highway 15 interchange. The ramp from northbound Highway 15 to westbound I-94 will remain closed until further notice. Also, the ramp from westbound I-94 to southbound Highway 15 will remain closed until further notice. Motorists should follow the signed detours using the new 33rd Street interchange just north of I-94.
· Motorists are experiencing major delays on I-94 during the weekend recreational rush hours. Delays of up to an hour have been reported on westbound I-94 on Friday afternoons and evenings, and on eastbound I-94 on Sunday afternoons and evenings. Motorists who travel I-94 during those weekend recreational rush hours should consider using alternate routes, stagger travel time to avoid weekend recreational rush hours, and plan additional time for travel. Potential alternate routes include Highway 55 and connecting roads south of I-94, or Highway 10 and connecting roads north of I-94.
All I-94 lanes and ramps between St. Cloud and Collegeville will open permanently in fall 2016.
The closures are part of two projects to 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.