Gap Project Wraps Up Albertville Work for Season on I-94

Whether it’s this weekend, or somewhere soon in the 14-day forecast, one thing is for certain – winter is coming, and construction season is officially hitting pause.

That’s the message from the Minnesota Department of Transportation, who stated this week that construction will stop for the season on Interstate 94 between Albertville and Monticello, also known as “The Gap Project.”

It’s been a busy spring, summer and fall on the freeway. From removing asphalt and concrete on existing lanes, constructing the westbound bridge and creating bypass areas to keeping water drained and earth moving through summer’s serious rains, it’s been a busy season.

Those 2025 project milestones included:

• Reconstructed the westbound road surface
• Added a third westbound lane from Co. Rd. 37 in Albertville to west of Hwy 25 in Monticello
• Replaced the westbound bridge over Wright Co. Rd. 19 in Albertville
• Widened the westbound bridge over Co. Rd. 75 in Monticello
• Replaced or repaired underground pipes
• Began work on the noise walls along I-94 near Monticello

Here’s what to expect for the next three or for months, before the 2026 construction season rolls in:

• Both directions of Interstate 94 will encounter lane shifts and single-lane traffic at off-peak hours (mainly overnight hours between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.)
• Westbound I-94 lanes will shift onto the new lanes overnight on Fri, Nov. 7
• Eastbound I-94 lanes will shift back to mainline by Fri, Nov. 14
• I-94 will remain open to two lanes each way over the 2025-2026 winter season.
• The speed limit will return to 70 miles per hour. However, motorists should continue to slow down if road conditions deteriorate or traffic is congested.
• Crews will work off-road as long as mother nature allows.

In 2026, crews will return and expand the eastbound lanes while traffic shifts onto the new westbound lanes.