A freeway ramp in downtown Minneapolis used by thousands of drivers each day closed Monday morning and won't reopen for five weeks.

Minnesota Department of Transportation crews shut down the ramp from northbound Interstate 35W to eastbound Interstate 94 at 5 a.m. Monday and it won't reopen until Nov. 29

In addition, both directions of I-94 will be reduced to two lanes between 11th Avenue S. and Franklin Avenue.

The closures will allow crews to construct crossovers that motorists will use in 2025 when MnDOT begins maintenance work on five bridges along I-94 between downtown Minneapolis and the Franklin Avenue bridge that crosses I-94.

Drivers needing to get from northbound I-35W to eastbound I-94 will be directed to go north on I-35W to Hwy. 36 and south on Interstate 35E.

Next year, both directions of I-94 will be reduced to two lanes between Hwy. 55/Hiawatha Avenue and the Franklin Avenue bridge.