Riverfront Drive closure in Mankato begins Sept. 8 for Veterans Memorial Bridge project

Riverfront Drive under the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Mankato will close Sept. 8 for about two to three weeks, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The closure is necessary as crews complete the removal of the existing paint system and paint steel girders on the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Riverfront Drive will be closed between East Main Street and Plum Street, with traffic detoured to Plum Street, 2^nd Street, and Main Street.

The Veterans Memorial Bridge and Highway 169/Belgrade Interchange remains closed and traffic detoured until late 2026, weather permitting. Final wrap-up work is expected in 2027 and is not expected to require additional detours.

The Veterans Memorial Bridge project includes significant repairs to the bridge and improvements to the Belgrade Avenue Bridge over Highway 169 connecting the cities of North Mankato and Mankato. Additionally, interchange ramp signals will be replaced, ramp configuration will be modified, and sidewalks will be replaced.

Ames Construction, Inc. was awarded the project with a bid of $21,273,398.92.

Stay connected

• Visit the Veterans Memorial Bridge and Highway 169/Belgrade Interchange project website for more information, detour routes, periodic construction updates, and to sign up for email updates.
• Information will be shared on the MnDOT South Central Facebook group and on X @mndotscentral.

For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.