Two weeks of overnight closings of I-94 in Minneapolis begin Thursday

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will fix two damaged bridges spanning Interstate 94 near Augsburg University in Minneapolis, and starting Thursday the agency will shut down the westbound lanes every night for the next two weeks to do the work.

Drivers will be diverted up the ramp at Riverside Avenue and back onto the freeway at 25th Avenue from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night through Nov. 9.

Motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists will not be able to use 25th Avenue or Riverside Avenue at the interstate while work is happening. Riverside and 25th will be closed between Butler Place and 9th Street.

Crews will be straightening out beams on the 25th Avenue bridge that were hit by a truck last summer, MnDOT spokesman David Aeikens said.

The 25th Avenue bridge has been reduced to a single lane in each direction since it was hit in August.

MnDOT also will be installing a temporary pedestrian bridge at 22nd Avenue. The bridge has been closed since August. To do that, MnDOT will shut down I-94 in both directions from 10 p.m. Saturday until 4 p.m. Sunday. Closures also will take place Nov. 8-11.

Tim Harlow