The John Ireland Bridge is coming down this weekend, and to do the work, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will close a portion of I-94 in St. Paul.
From 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday, westbound I-94 will be closed between I-35E and Dale Street. Eastbound 94 will be closed between Hwy. 280 and I-35E.
The posted detour for both directions will send drivers along I-35E, Hwy. 36 and Hwy. 280.
Over the weekend, crews will disassemble the 56-year-old John Ireland Bridge piece by piece. Many of its current features, including four gatehouses added around 1990, will be preserved and incorporated into a new bridge to be built in the same footprint as the current structure.
“The bridge is currently in safe condition, but a focused structural repair is necessary to ensure it remains safe for travelers based on modern weight limits,” MnDOT said.
The four-lane bridge near the State Capitol is probably best known as the finish line for the Twin Cities Marathon. It will reopen next year with a new bridge deck, rebuilt sidewalks, updated bike lanes and accessibility improvements.
MnDOT is spending about $16 million to refurbish the bridge.
In Minneapolis and Golden Valley, all eastbound lanes of Hwy. 55 will be closed between Douglas Drive and Thomas Avenue from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.
