Heat buckles, closes I-494 near Penn Ave

Concrete buckling has forced MnDOT to close one of busiest stretches of freeway in the Twin Cities.

Two of the lanes on eastbound Interstate 494 in Bloomington near Penn Avenue have been closed by the State Patrol for repairs. MnDOT spokesman Kent Barnard said the heat triggered it.

"It's that time of year when heat, combined with moisture in the air and all the other factors on concrete pavement conspire to concrete to fail," Barnard said. "What happens is that incompressibles, which are basically dirt and debris get down into the expansion joints between the concrete pavements, panels, and then they tend to, as the panels expand, they tend to as the panels expand, they tend to break or buckle at the weakest point."

MnDOT is hoping to have the lanes repaired in time for the afternoon rush hour.

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