Motorists driving through the Highway 14 expansion project east of Owatonna will encounter lane changes beginning Monday as crews begin reconstructing the eastbound lanes, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Traffic will remain head to head in the construction zone, but will be shifted from the old eastbound lanes to the new westbound lanes, which were reconstructed in 2014. Additionally, the eastbound onramp to Highway 14 from Highway 218 will be closed.

The $12 million Highway 14 expansion project, which began in July of 2014, is located east of Owatonna from Highway 218 to 54th Avenue and is scheduled to be completed in September of 2015.

The contractor, Mathiowetz Construction Company, Inc. of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, is expanding Highway 14 from two lanes to four lanes and is part of the Corridors of Commerce state program for highway construction in Minnesota.

For more information, go to MnDOT’s project page at www.dot.state.mn.us.

MnDOT urges motorists to follow these recommendations in work zones:

• Stay alert

• Watch for signs, equipment and workers

• Minimize distractions, such as using cell phones, eating or drinking

• Avoid tailgating

• Follow posted speed limits and directional signs

• Stay in one lane while driving through a work zone

For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org, call 5-1-1 or log on to www.mndot.gov.

Learn more at MnDOT’S Get Connected site at www.dot.state.mn.us/getconnected about how Highway 14 is a key Minnesota connection for commerce, industry and tourism.