Hwy 280 closure planned

Starting in April 2026, motorists who use Highway 280 must prepare to find other routes. A $34 million project will close the highway between Interstate 94 in St. Paul and Interstate 35W/Highway 36 in Roseville.

Northbound lanes will close in mid-April, with southbound lanes closing by April’s end. If all goes as planned the highway will reopen in mid-August in time for the 2026 Minnesota State Fair. Some work will continue in the fall with partial highway closures.

Full closure for the summer will allow the project to move ahead more quickly, said Chris Bower, area engineer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). He presented plans at a recent virtual meeting.
His advice? Start planning for work and errand trips now. “Highway 280 doesn’t have a lot of good alternate routes,” he said. A suggestion on the project website is Snelling Avenue. Another detour is I-35W. Travelers can expect to see more traffic on local streets.

Highway 280 was planned as a major route serving the Midway industrial area, according to a history published several years ago in the Monitor. It was sketched out in the 1940s but construction didn’t start until 1955. It was considered vital to what was then the Midway’s prominent trucking industry.

The highway has many issues, said Bower, including aging pavement. Its southern end is in the worst shape. Resurfacing is a key part of the project.

Bridges over I-94, the University of Minnesota Transitway and railroad tracks, Energy Park Drive, Como Avenue, Hennepin/Larpenteur avenues and I-35W will be repaired.

Ramps will be repaired and resurfaced at Energy Park Drive, Como, Larpenteur and St. Croix Street. Drainage issues will be addressed through work on underground utilities. New traffic signs will be installed, along with new guardrails.

During this year’s construction, Energy Park Drive under the highway will be reduced to one lane. Ramp closures will be Franklin Avenue to I-94 and I-94 to University Avenue.

Metro Transit Bus Routes 30 and 33 will continue serving existing bus stops during construction, but bus schedules may be affected by construction. Riders should check schedules on the Metro Transit website at www.metrotransit.org. 

A key focus in 2026 and 2028 will be the intersection with Broadway St. NE, said Bower. Northbound vehicles turning left from Highway 280 to Broadway or making U-turns often have close calls or accidents. That turn will be blocked this summer and reopened in the fall. Plans call for it to be permanently removed in 2028.

Right turns at the intersection of Hwy 280 and Broadway St. will remain open. A semi-truck turnaround will be created for the PACAL Business Center west of that intersection.

The 2028 work is still being planned. Bower said that will focus on safety. It will involve lane closures on Highway 280 but not a full closure.

Northbound traffic that would turn left at Broadway will exit at Larpenteur/Hennepin in the future, which brings the need for construction and changes on those streets, Bower said. MnDOT is working with Hennepin and Ramsey counties on plans to rebuild Hennepin, redo the turn onto Industrial Boulevard and add lighting and make improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Also in 2028, bridges that carry traffic over Highway 280 would be repaired. Those are at Territorial Road, and

University, Franklin and Wabash avenues. Bower said additional safety and accessibility improvements for 2028 are being considered and will be unveiled in the future.

Community members can follow the project and sign up for email updates at mndot.gov/metro/projects/hwy280stpaul-roseville/.

The project email address is info@hwy280construction.com. The hotline is 612-254-7776.

* Please note the print version of this story incorrectly stated in the sub-headline that the permanent closure of the left turn lane  from 280 to University Ave. will be permanently removed in 2028 during Hennepin Ave. project, but it should have stated Broadway Ave.