State highway officials are adding a lane to Hwy. 169 at the Minnesota River to relieve flood-related congestion on the Bloomington Ferry Bridge after two nearby bridges were closed this week.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation said crews will begin working at 4 p.m. Saturday to restripe Hwy. 169 between County Road 18 in Shakopee and Pioneer Trail in Bloomington and Eden Prairie. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction while the crews are working.

The single additional lane will be reversible depending on the flow of traffic -- northbound during the morning weekday rush and southbound in the afternoon, MnDOT spokeswoman Christine Krueger said.

The two bridges just upriver, Hwy. 101 in Shakopee and Hwy. 41 in Chaska, are expected to remain closed for several days because of flooding on the Minnesota River after heavy rain this past week.

Also Saturday, MnDOT is closing the right lane of northbound Interstate 35W in Burnsville to build a dike to keep floodwaters from nearby businesses. The lane, between Cliff Road and Black Dog Road, will be closed from 1:30 p.m. into the early evening Saturday, MnDOT said.

CASEY COMMON