Construction was slated to begin Friday on Interstate 35 in Owatonna.

The work leads to single-lane, head-to-head traffic, as well as off-ramp and on-ramp closures for southbound traffic, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Southbound traffic will be crossed over into the northbound lanes of I-35 north of Steele County Road 2. Northbound traffic will continue in a single lane, while southbound uses the other lane. Southbound traffic will cross back over to two lanes south of Bridge Street.

The Hoffman Drive (Steele County Road 45) southbound off-ramp at Exit 42A will be closed, as will southbound on-ramps at 26th Street Northwest (Exit 43) and Steele County Road 2 (Exits 42 A&B). Those closures are expected to remain through early October.

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 on the corridor. The project with prime contractor Mathiowetz Construction began in early May and is expected to be complete in fall 2015.

Because of the traffic volumes on I-35, traffic backups and delays occur during weekend travel periods through this construction workzone, so motorists should adjust their travel plans to account for delays.

MnDOT urges motorists to always be attentive, drive with caution, slow down in work zones and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.