Road construction season gets underway (2026)

Road construction season gets underway (2026)
By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | April 2026

A slew of road projects is slated to begin this spring and last through October. Full details are below to help you plan accordingly.

West Side
The West Side Safe Routes to School project will kick off this year. It entails pedestrian improvements such as bump outs (curb extensions) along streets near Riverview Spanish/English Dual Immersion Elementary, Cherokee Heights Elementary, Open World Learning and Humboldt High School.

West St. Paul

• Emerson Avenue will be reconstructed from Delaware Avenue to Charlton Street and milled and overlaid from Charlton to Oakdale Avenue. A sidewalk will be constructed along the south side of Emerson from Delaware to Robert Street, and along the north side of Emerson from Robert to Oakdale.
• Oakdale Avenue will be milled and overlaid from Wentworth Avenue to about 1,000 feet north of Mendota Road. This is a Dakota County project, but the city will fund some utility replacements and installations. Estimated city cost is $36,000.

Mendota Heights
The Minnesota Department of Transportation will repave Sibley Memorial Highway between the south intersection with Hwy 13/Mendota Heights Road and the north intersection with Hwy 13/Great River Road. Work includes drainage improvements, replacing pedestrian ramps and making a maintenance access road. A short segment of the Big Rivers Regional Trail near the intersection of Sibley Memorial Highway and Perron Road is expected to be briefly closed for part of the project; a detour will be provided.

Downtown

• Reconstruction of Robert Street from Kellogg Boulevard to I-94 began last year and is expected to be completed this spring. Work includes sidewalk, utility and landscaping improvements.
• Reconstruction of the Kellogg-3rd Street Bridge began in 2024 and is expected to continue through 2027. Most recently, all bridge beams have been installed. Kellogg Boulevard remains closed between Lafayette Street and Mounds Boulevard, and westbound lanes continue to be closed between Market and Washington streets.
• One lane of 5th street will be closed near Osborn Plaza as the city completes construction of the plaza’s new design, featuring more seating, public art and better accessibility. The sidewalk and parking along Osborn Plaza will also be closed. However, the sidewalk and parking lane on Wabasha are expected to remain open.
• 6th Street will have lane restrictions between Minnesota and Wabasha streets this summer due to private construction.
• 9th Street will be closed between Robert and Jackson Streets for construction.
• Floodwalls will be built on Jackson and Sibley Streets between 2nd Street and Shepard Road, and the pump station at Shepard Road and Jackson Street rehabilitated. Work is expected to be completed in 2028.
• Sanitary sewer tunnel repairs on West 7th Street from Walnut Street to Kellogg Boulevard are scheduled to be completed in 2026.
• A new portion of the Capital City Bikeway will be constructed on Kellogg Boulevard from St. Peter Street to West 7th Street.
• The Minnesota Department of Transportation will replace the I-35E bridge over Shepard Road and complete concrete pavement reconstruction and repairs on the I-35E bridge over the Mississippi River. Work will continue through 2027.
• Metro Transit will complete installation and testing of station amenities for future G Line stations along Robert Street by June. Features include shelters and real-time signage, and station locations are at the intersections of Kellogg Boulevard, 5th/6th Street, and 10th Street. Construction may also begin this fall on new bus rapid transit stations at 11th/12th Street & Cedar Avenue. Work includes making concrete bus pads, curbs, sidewalk connections, utility work, landscaping and installation of station amenities.

Metro Transit routes expected to be impacted by 2026 construction detours in zip codes 55101 and 55107:

• Routes 68 and 71, due to Robert Street reconstruction between Kellogg Boulevard and Annapolis Street 
• Routes 64 and 860, due to University Avenue reconstruction from Interstate 35E to Lafayette 
• Routes 63, 72, 294, 363 and the Gold Line continue to be impacted due to Kellogg Bridge rebuild
• Routes 54, 61 and 74, due to MnDOT’s East 7th Street construction

South St. Paul

• Marie Avenue reconstruction (phase 2 of 3) – The City of South St. Paul will reconstruct Marie Avenue between 9th Avenue and 15th Avenue. Work includes sidewalk and lighting improvements, and utility replacement. The sidewalk along the north side of the street may also be extended from 12th Avenue North to 15th Avenue North, if funding allows following construction bids.
• Verderosa Avenue extension – Verderosa Avenue will be extended to Hardman Avenue to serve the new public works facility breaking ground this year. Work includes street and sidewalk construction, sanitary sewer and watermain extensions, and storm sewer installation. The City’s community garden will be closed this year due to the project and rebuilt when it’s complete. Notably, building the public works facility has forced the city to permanently close its residential yard waste drop-off site, which served the city for more than 35 years.
• South Street West reconstruction – South Street West will be fully reconstructed between 5th Avenue South and 7th Avenue South. Utility improvements will also take place and extend one block further, to 8th Avenue South. The project includes full-depth reclamation foundation work of Upper 55th Street in Inver Grove Heights, from Blaine Avenue to 7th Street South/Cahill Avenue. This is a joint effort by the cities of South St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights.
• DNR boat launch – The boat launch located off Verderosa Avenue will be closed this spring for reconstruction. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is leading the project and completed a portion of the work last fall.
• Pedestrian bridge replacement – The pedestrian bridge over Highway 52 between Lewis Street and Stickney Avenue is slated to be replaced this summer, with work beginning in July. The project is led by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
• Lead service line replacement – The City of South St. Paul is beginning a multi-year project to replace all privately owned lead water service lines in the city. The project is supported by new state and federal funding opportunities, and piping replacements between water meters and streets will be at no cost to property owners. However, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to replace piping between their meter and their home. Residents who are believed to have galvanized or lead service lines are receiving mailed notices to schedule an inspection of their property. It’s estimated that 1,000 properties will need to have work done. To review your property, visit maps.umn.edu/LSL.