If you travel I-94 between St. Cloud and the Cities often, you may want to consider taking Highway 10 for the next couple months instead.

I live in Monticello and drive to St. Cloud for work everyday. Normally, I take I-94 from Monticello to Clearwater, then cut across from Clearwater to Clear Lake and come up Highway 10. It's a pleasant drive, normally.

As of today -- and for the next couple months -- it won't be.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), roadwork begins today Wednesday, October 9, 2019 on I-94 between Monticello and Clearwater and is expected to last through November.

Great.

The 15-mile stretch of roadwork is part of a larger project to improve 39 miles between Maple Grove and Clearwater. Improvements made will include adding travel lanes, improving drainage and resurfacing deteriorating pavement. The project is expected to last through 2021.

According to a press release from MnDOT, the construction on I-94 between Monticello and Clearwater will see overnight lane closures in both directions, specifically:

• Eastbound I-94 will be reduced to one lane from 6 p.m. to noon nightly
• Westbound I-94 will be reduced to one lane from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. nightly

My suggestion, if you anticipate driving between St. Cloud and the metro over the next couple months, is to take Highway 10 from St. Cloud down to the intersection of 165th Ave SE just past Becker and cutting across to Monticello there, avoiding the construction on I-94. Alternatively, you could also take Highway 10 all the way down to the metro.

For updates, follow MnDOT on social media (@MnDOT), sign up for email updates or visit mndot.gov/i94-mg-clearwater.