Highway 55 Reopens After 5-Month Closure

West metro commuters are finally getting relief as a major stretch of Highway 55 reopens after a lengthy closure that lasted five months. The reopening marks a significant milestone for Plymouth’s Station 73 Transit and Regional Improvement Program (TRIP), one of the city’s most ambitious transportation upgrades in years.

According to a news release from the City of Plymouth, the newly reopened segment — between West Medicine Lake Drive and Revere Lane — is ready for traffic, though crews will still complete “some minor work in the area” through the end of the month. The city notes those remaining tasks “shouldn’t cause any closures,” allowing drivers to return to their normal routes as the holiday travel season approaches.

Why the closure happened

The shutdown was required to advance the Station 73 TRIP, a multimodal infrastructure project designed to improve safety and efficiency for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transit users. City leaders say the improvements are critical for an area that has long struggled with unsafe pedestrian access and traffic bottlenecks.

The City of Plymouth explains that the area around Highway 55 and County Road 73 presents serious risks for people walking or biking because they lack a direct—and protected—route to cross the busy highway. The lack of safe crossings has created barriers for residents trying to access city parks, regional trails, the Station 73 transit facility, and nearby businesses.

What’s included in the project

The Station 73 TRIP includes several infrastructure upgrades:

• New bus stops to better connect riders to regional transit services.
• Multiple roundabouts aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing severe crashes.
• Realignment and reconstruction of key road segments to support long-term growth and safer travel.
• Improved pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure, including safer crossings and better connections to trail systems.

These improvements are designed to support Plymouth's growth and accommodate increasing demand from commuters who rely on Highway 55 as a key east-west route across the west metro.

More construction coming — but Highway 55 stays open

Although this reopening represents major progress, the project is far from finished. City officials report that additional construction phases will begin next spring, focusing on the remaining road realignments, landscaping, pedestrian pathways, and transit station elements.

The good news for drivers: Highway 55 will remain open during the next phase, minimizing future disruptions. Traffic control measures may still be in place, but planners are committed to keeping the corridor moving.

The entire project is expected to wrap up by late 2026, creating a safer, more accessible transportation hub for the region.

Why the project matters for the west metro

Transportation planners say the upgrades will have major long-term benefits:

• Reduced congestion at one of the west metro’s busiest corridors.
• Safer and more efficient intersections, thanks to modern roundabout design.
• Better connections between neighborhoods, parks, businesses, and regional trails.
• Stronger public transit access, helping the region accommodate future population and job growth.

The Station 73 TRIP also fits into a broader trend: metro-area suburbs are making aggressive investments in multimodal infrastructure to meet rising demand for walkability, bike networks, and accessible transit options.

Originally reported by Bring Me The News.