Southbound I-494 Will Be Reduced to Single Lane Thursday

A partial closure of an interstate highway in the Twin Cities is likely to significantly impact commute times for drivers in Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, and other western suburbs.

Beginning on Wednesday at 10 p.m., southbound Interstate 494 will be reduced to a single lane of traffic between Highway 12 and Highway 55, between Minnetonka and Plymouth.

Only one lane of traffic on I-494 will be open until 5 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 26, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

MnDot urges Minnesota drivers to utilize the "zipper merge" rather than the early merge. Officials say zipper merging benefits individual drivers as well as the public at large.

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