Travelers and late-night drivers, take note: The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has announced an upcoming closure that will affect routes in Plymouth. According to the official announcement from the City of Plymouth government website, the 36th Avenue bridge over Highway 169 is set for overnight closures. Starting from 10 p.m. on Monday, May 19, to 5 a.m. On Friday, May 23, the bridge painting efforts are part of MnDOT's ongoing 36th Avenue bridge replacement project.
The implications for westbound and eastbound traffic are notable. The westbound detour will lead drivers onto the northbound Highway 169 on-ramp, shuffle over to Rockford Road, and down to southbound Highway 169, circumventing the closure. In a similar vein, the detour for those steering east will funnel them through the southbound Highway 169 on-ramp, curve around Medicine Lake Road, and guide them back to northbound Highway 169. MnDOT shared that these detours are designed to ensure that traffic disruptions are kept to a minimum while the necessary work is completed.
Pedestrians won't have it any easier during this period; MnDOT confirms that the 36th Avenue pedestrian bridge will be entirely out of commission alongside the vehicular passage. This temporary inconvenience is, however, a stitch in time designed to secure the long-term integrity and safety of these structures.
As the work unfolds, southbound Highway 169 is also slated for closure at the 36th Avenue juncture. From 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., starting Monday, May 19, through Thursday, May 22, travelers can expect the road to be shut down; to prepare motorists for this, the southbound lane will be down to a single lane starting at 9 p.m. each night. Snarled in the webs of these detours, commuters must persevere through a rapidly changing tapestry of orange cones and detour signs until they reach the temporary detour using the on and off ramps at 36th Avenue.
For those plotting their night-time courses or just seeking more information, the MnDOT’s project details are available on the project webpage. It's a resource not just for planning detours but also for understanding the broader scope of the project and its expected benefits to the community.
