Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) officials said the agency will defer the majority of the I-35 Twin Ports Interchange project, noting some construction would begin this fall.
Significant traffic impacts would not be realized until spring 2021. In November 2019, MnDOT identified an approximate $100 million funding gap on the project, with the gap’s majority due to unknown costs related to contaminated materials and utility work – leading to MnDOT announcing deferment of the Highway 53 Bridge and I-535/Garfield interchange portions of the project.
Next spring, the $343 million project will move forward with I-35 traffic in single-lane configuration, and in the fall, northbound traffic will remain on I-35. Southbound traffic will be moved to Lower Michigan Street as planned.
The deferment initiative allows time to obtain a better understanding of contaminated materials and will enable MnDOT to quantify costs better, indicating MnDOT is confident the new timeline will benefit the overall project.
The Highway 53 and I-535/Garfield Avenue interchange portions of the project are expected to remain deferred until funding becomes available.