Highway 61 Median Closures

Motorists on Highway 61 should be alert for Minnesota Department of Transportation maintenance crews who will start closing and removing two median crossings in Red Wing between Bench Street and Tyler Road beginning today.

Crews will set up the left lane closures between Bench Street and Tyler Road Monday and the work will begin on Tuesday, June 9. Work is expected to be completed by the end of June, weather permitting.

Right‑turn access to the North and South Service Drives from Hwy 61 as well as right turns from the service drives onto Hwy 61 will remain open during the work as well as after the median crossing removals.

Motorists will be able to reach businesses on both sides of Hwy 61. Left turns between Bench Street and Tyler Road both from Hwy 61 and onto Hwy 61 will not be possible during the work.

To reach either side of the service drives via a left turn, motorists can travel to the intersections with traffic signals, Tyler Road and Bench Street, and use the service drive roads.

Both median intersections have a history of severe right‑angle and left‑turn crashes which are two of the most dangerous crash types on high‑speed highways.

Closing the median removes the direct crossing and left‑turn movements that lead to these crashes.

MnDOT has collaborated with the city of Red Wing and our police department on these closures.