Updated
Updated · Rochester Post Bulletin · Jul 2
I-90 Westbound Closes Between Dexter and Austin as Flash Flooding Shuts 2 Exits
Updated
Updated · Rochester Post Bulletin · Jul 2

I-90 Westbound Closes Between Dexter and Austin as Flash Flooding Shuts 2 Exits

3 articles · Updated · Rochester Post Bulletin · Jul 2

Summary

  • Westbound Interstate 90 closed between Highway 218 south and the Dexter exit in Mower County as of 12:23 p.m., with MnDOT reporting flash flooding on the corridor.
  • MnDOT directed drivers onto County Road 2 and County Road 61 to bypass the flooded stretch between Dexter and Austin.
  • Eastbound I-90 had already been closed for most of Thursday, showing the flooding was disrupting both directions of the interstate.
  • Flooding also hit Highway 43 north of Mabel, Highway 16 south of Lanesboro and Highway 63 south of Spring Valley, widening the impact across southeastern Minnesota.

Insights

Are 10-inch rainfalls the new normal for the Midwest, and is our current infrastructure prepared for this reality?
With drainage projects already planned for 2026, why did Minnesota's key highways still face such catastrophic flooding?