The Minnesota Department of Transportation has begun closing northbound lanes on I-35 between Ellendale and Albert Lea, as construction crews prepare the highway for concrete repaving.

The lane closures are the first step as crews prepare to cross southbound traffic over into northbound lanes for head to head traffic.

The project is expected to be completed in mid-September. Southbound lanes on 13.9 miles of I-35 will be repaved with concrete in a process known as an unbonded concrete overlay.

During the early stages of the project, the southbound Exit 22 at Freeborn County Road 35 and southbound Exit 13, which is used to access Interstate 90 westbound, will be closed and traffic detoured. Exit 22 will reopen later when southbound exits 26 and 18 at Ellendale and Clarks Grove are closed for short-term for ramp replacements.

Because of the traffic volume on I-35, traffic delays are possible during this project, especially Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

MnDOT urges motorists to always be attentive, drive with caution, slow down in work zones and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones. For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org, call 5-1-1 or log on to www.mndot.gov.