John Ireland Blvd. bridge over I-94 in St. Paul closed starting Oct. 6

Roseville, Minn. –The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) announced that John Ireland Blvd. bridge over I-94 between Kellogg Blvd. and Rice St. in St. Paul will be closed starting Monday, Oct. 6, after the Twin Cities Marathon. The bridge is anticipated to reopen in August 2026. This work is a part of MnDOT’s ongoing project to repair nine bridges over I-94 and I-35E in St. Paul .

Vehicle traffic will be directed to Kellogg Blvd. to Marion St. to University Ave. to Rice St. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be directed to Kellogg Blvd. to Marion St. bridge to Rondo Ave. View the detour map here .

This project includes a careful disassembly and rebuilding of the structure of the John Ireland Blvd. bridge, which carries four lanes of vehicle traffic over I-94. Constructed in 1967, 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.

The bridge will be rebuilt within the same footprint as the existing bridge, and other safety and cosmetic changes will be made as well, including sidewalk repairs, updates to existing bike and pedestrian facilities, accessibility updates, and railing replacements.

All construction activities and traffic impacts are weather and schedule dependent and subject to change. MnDOT encourages people traveling in and around downtown St. Paul to plan ahead and review closures, especially for high-traffic events. MnDOT also urges motorists to always be attentive, drive with caution and slow down in work zones where workers are present.

This project requires additional periodic weekend closures of I-94 and partial bridge closures to ensure proper maintenance of bridges along the interstates.

For more information about this project work or to sign up for email updates, visit the project website at mndot.gov/metro/projects/johnirelandbridge.

###