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The Minnesota Department of Transportation say they are on track to reopen State Highway 280 before the Minnesota State Fair, but some drivers are endangering workers and themselves by prematurely going around the barriers of the unfinished road.

Project engineer Clay Roessler said since the highway closed in mid-April, crews have replaced concrete, drainage piping and asphalt. What's left is work on bridges, striping, lighting, signage and guard rails.

"We are pretty much right on track from the original schedule,” Roessler said. “So that means that the 280 mainline road, the two through lanes, will be opened before Aug. 22.”

The highway, which runs between Interstate 94 in St. Paul and Highway 36 and Interstate 35W in Roseville, carries between 50,000 to 60,000 vehicles a day.

Roessler and MnDOT officials said they have faced at least one dangerous issue: drivers skirting the barriers. Last week as crews finished a layer of pavement, vehicles started driving by the construction crews.

Roessler said on one day last week, he counted vehicles in the double digits driving on the still closed highway.

“They assume that it's ready. That it's brand new fresh blacktop,” Roessler said. “They just start flying down the road and they zip by us standing on the road. And that's the worst case scenario.”

Roessler said the drivers are especially dangerous for road crews, but also to themselves.

“We have vehicles just parked in the road or giant equipment that they could run into,” he said. “That's not a good end of their day.” 

Highway 280 expected to reopen by Aug. 22

The  280 reconstruction is part of an overall multi-year project estimated to cost $34 million. This stage of the project, Roessler said, is expected to come in within its projected $24 million budget.

In two years, MnDOT will conduct additional work along the corridor to repair bridges over the highway. The left-turn lane from northbound Highway 280 to Broadway Street is also slated to be permanently closed in 2028 in an effort to prevent serious crashes.

Drivers can find more details about the construction project at 

. The latest details on traffic impacts can be found at 

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MnDOT officials say they are on track to reopen Highway 280 before their target date of Aug. 22 before the Minnesota State Fair. Officials also say some drivers are endangering workers by prematurely going around the barriers.

A view of a freshly paved highway without traffic lines.

Highway 280 on track to reopen before State Fair. But it's still closed right now

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