Xcel schedules shoulder closures at three Highway 96 sites

Xcel Energy scheduled restoration work and shoulder closures at three locations on its Highway 96 natural-gas project corridor during the week beginning Nov. 2, 2026, according to the company’s Oct. 30 update. The sites are the intersection of Highway 96 and Hamline Avenue North; Old Highway 8 from Highway 96 to about 300 feet north; and the intersection of Old Highway 8 and First Avenue Northwest. Two of the three locations are on Old Highway 8.

Work is planned Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., a 12-hour daily window for six days. Xcel says evening or night work may occur in some circumstances and schedules may change. The listed closures are shoulder closures, not full road closures, though travelers may encounter work-zone traffic control.

Separately, Xcel describes the project’s first phase as about two miles of natural-gas line work across Arden Hills, Shoreview and New Brighton, with construction expected to continue through November 2026. The update gives no completion date for restoration. Travelers can check Xcel’s project page for schedule updates.