City of Rochester Announces Opening Date for 2nd SW Near St. Mary’s

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A portion of a busy roadway in and out of downtown Rochester is set to reopen next week. 

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The City of Rochester announced the reopening on Friday. 

The road was closed in August and was related to the construction of Rochester’s Link Bus Rapid Transit Line. 

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2nd St. SW Near St. Mary's Hospital to Reopen Monday, Nov. 24

City officials say 2nd St. SW near St. Mary’s Hospital will reopen to traffic on Monday, Nov. 24. 

The roadway was closed between 11th and 13th Avenues SW to accommodate construction of an underground pedestrian tunnel that will connect Mayo Clinic’s St. Mary’s campus to a Link Bus Rapid Transit stop. 

“We appreciate the community’s patience throughout the construction season. Having this corridor available ahead of the holiday season helps ensure continued access to Rochester’s vibrant shopping, dining and community events throughout the winter months,” Steve Sampson Brown, Director of Construction. 

Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction. Both lanes will be on the St. Mary’s side of the roadway. Officials say motorists may encounter future road closures as construction of the Link Bus Rapid Transit Line continues. 

Further east, 2nd St. SW remains closed. 

That closure is also to accommodate construction of an underground pedestrian tunnel that will connect a future Mayo Clinic patient care building with a future Rochester Public Transit station that will also have access to the soon-to-be-built Link Bus Rapid Transit Line. 

That closure is scheduled to wrap up in the first three months of 2026.