UPDATE: Road closures, no travel advisory lifted in SW Minnesota

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - 8:45 AM Friday: The Minnesota Department of Transportation is lifting the road closures and no travel advisories from Interstate 90 and most state highways in southcentral and the southwest corner of Minnesota at 9 a.m. today.

A few highway segments will remain closed but are expected to reopen later today. Drivers are encouraged to check www.511mn.org for current road condition information before they travel.

MnDOT urges motorists to use caution while driving as roads are completely or partially covered with snow and ice; blowing and drifting snow are expected to continue through today. Motorists are advised to reduce speeds and drive according to conditions.

Motorists should:

Check www.511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store for road condition information, travel alerts
Stay alert for snowplows, which turn or exit frequently and often with little warning. They also may travel over centerlines or partially in traffic to further improve road conditions.
Stay back at least 10 car lengths behind the plow. Don’t drive into a snow cloud.
Slow down to a safe speed for current conditions.
Turn on your headlights and wear your seat belt.
Turn off the cruise control.
Be patient and remember snowplows are working to improve road conditions for your trip.
Don’t drive distracted.

Stay connected, informed

Join the MnDOT South Central Minnesota Facebook group
Follow us on Twitter @mndotscentral
For updated road condition information visit www.511mn.org.
For additional tips on safe winter driving, go to mndot.gov/workzone/winter.html.

(6:20 p.m. Thursday) The Minnesota Department of Transportation has updated its list of road closures and no travel advisories on state highways in southwestern and southcentral Minnesota.

Strong winds continue to create blowing and drifting snow, significantly reducing visibility.

No travel advised:

No travel is advised on the following state highways until conditions improve:

Highway 14 Sanborn to Sleepy Eye
Hwy 4 St. James to Fairfax
Highway 68 from Highway 4 to north of Evan

No Travel Advised means that the roadway has deteriorated and/or visibility has been reduced to the point that it is very dangerous to travel; there are reports of whiteout conditions; and some weather conditions can be severe enough that road treatments are not effective, and conditions can become life-threatening for stranded travelers.

Highway and Interstate closures:

Highway 30 east of Darfur to Highway 4
Rock County
Nobles County
Cottonwood County
Portions of state highways in Watonwan County. Hwy 60 west of St. James is closed; Hwy 60 east of St. James is open
Portions of state highways in Jackson County
I-90 from the South Dakota border to Jackson is closed; I-90 east of Jackson is open

MnDOT reminds motorists that it is illegal to travel on a closed road and if a motorist requires rescuing, they are liable for all related rescue costs.

The road closures and no travel advisories are expected to remain overnight and until conditions improve on Friday.

Additional road closures or travel advisories are possible if conditions are expected to further deteriorate overnight. Motorists should monitor www.511mn.org for current road conditions.

MnDOT District 7, serving the Mankato and Windom areas, is not staffed for 24-hour coverage. Crews in southcentral and southwest Minnesota are expected to be out late tonight and will resume operations early Friday morning.

Motorists can sign up for email or text travel alerts for state highways at mndot.gov/d7 by clicking “Email and text updates” under the “Connect with us” heading. Choose to receive messages via email or text message. Then, choose the “South Central MN” under the “Travel Alerts” category.

Stay connected, informed