14th Street NW to close, detour June 12 in Austin between I-90, 18th Avenue NW
AUSTIN, Minn. – Motorists in Austin using 14th Street Northwest north of Interstate 90 will be detoured beginning June 12 as construction crews begin sanitary and storm sewer replacement, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The construction work on 14th Street NW will remove all of the pavement and the road will be excavated down to replace the utilities for the city of Austin as part of the I-90 Austin bridges project. The closure will be in place through the fall.
Motorists who are southbound on Highway 218 in northwest Austin will need to turn east (left) at 18th Avenue Northwest and travel to 4th Street Northwest to turn south (right). Motorists who want to travel on I-90 can use the on-ramps at 4th Street in each direction. Motorists wanting to reach 14th Street NW on the south side of I-90 should continue south on 4th Street to 4th Avenue Northwest to go west (right) to reach 14th St. Westbound I-90 motorists should use Exit 178A at 4th Street NW to reach 14th Street NW on the south side of I-90 by Riverland Community College. Eastbound I-90 motorists should continue to use 4th Street NW (Exit 178A) to reach the north side of I-90.
Northbound motorists on 14th Street NW south of I-90 can reach the north side of I-90 and Highway 218 north by merging onto I-90 eastbound and exit at 4th Street NW (Exit 178A) to travel north on 4th Street.
The westbound ramps at 14th Street NW will close on June 12. The eastbound ramps will remain open. During I-90 closures in June, all ramps will be open for detours up and down while I-90 is closed for single day or weekend bridge related work.
Other traffic changes will be announced in advance as construction progresses.
For more information or to sign up for project updates, visit the project website.
Safety in work zones
Motorists should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including lane closures, lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, slow-moving heavy equipment and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must:
- Obey posted speed limits. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
- Drive undistracted. Avoid using cell phones, mobile devices, adjusting the radio – even eating –while in work zones.
- Move over. Give workers room to safely complete their work.
- Know before you go. Get real-time information about traffic and road conditions at www.511mn.org or get the free 511mn smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
- Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
- Do the zipper merge.
- Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
- Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
Stay connected, informed
- Check out other MnDOT southeast Minnesota construction projects and sign up for construction updates
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