All Interstate 35 lanes and ramps through Owatonna opened Thursday as Year 1 of the $19.1 million construction project wrapped up for the winter, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Motorists will be on newly constructed concrete southbound driving lanes. New exit and on-ramps were constructed and a full auxiliary southbound lane was constructed between the Hoffman Drive interchange and the Bridge Street interchange.

The $19.1 million project is taking place over two years to replace the concrete I-35 roadways through Owatonna, as well as replace bridges and include additional safety features. Mathiowetz Construction, the prime contractor, began work in early May and is expected to be complete in fall 2015. Southbound lanes and bridges were reconstructed this year with that traffic switched onto the northbound lanes during the project.

Construction work will resume in spring 2015. This time work will shift to the northbound lanes where work similar to this year’s effort will take place.