Winter's arrival has not put the chill on road construction as drivers will encounter another weekend freeway closure in Minneapolis.
MnDOT is closing both directions of Interstate 35W between the Crosstown Hwy. 62 and downtown Minneapolis from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. With that comes a bit of good news: The new 26th Street bridge over I-35W opened Friday. The bad news is that crews are knocking down the 28th Street bridge, the reason I-35W is closed this weekend. The 28th Street bridge will be closed until June.
In the northeast metro, MnDOT is warning drivers to expect delays and backups near in Forest Lake as crews take down the Hwy. 97 bridge.
With the Vikings off and the Timberwolves and Wild away, the calendar is light on major traffic-generating events. But do look for a few extra vehicles in downtown Minneapolis with Cirque du Soleil shows at Target Center and a holiday boutique at US. Bank Stadium. In St. Paul, the final day of the Minnesota State High School volleyball tournament will bring crowds and spirit to the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul.
Here is where you'll still run into road construction.
Minneapolis
1. Interstate 35W: Closed in both directions between I-94 and Crosstown Hwy. 62 until 5 a.m. Monday. Detour is via I-394, Hwy. 100 and Crosstown west of I-35W. To the north of downtown, off-peak lane restrictions between University Avenue and County Road C in Roseville.
2. Hennepin Avenue S.: Closed from Lake Street to 36th Street.
3. NE. Broadway Street: Closed from Stinson Boulevard to Industrial Boulevard.
St. Paul
4. Hwy. 149/Smith Avenue: The High Bridge over the Mississippi River is closed until December.
North metro
5. Interstate 35 in Forest Lake: The Hwy. 97 bridge over I-35W will be closed and torn down. During its closure, southbound I-35 traffic will be reduced to a single lane near Hwy. 97 and traffic will be routed up and down the off and on ramps from until 10 a.m. Sunday. Northbound I-35 will be reduced to a single lane at Hwy. 97 and diverted onto the ramps until 5 a.m. Monday.
6. Interstate 35W in Blaine: Off-peak and night time closures in both directions between Hwy. 10 in Mounds View and Lexington Avenue in Lino Lakes.
South metro
7. Hwy. 3 in Inver Grove Heights: Closed between 60th and 70th streets and Hwy. 149 and 55.
8. Interstate 35W in Bloomington: Reduced to three and occasionally two lanes in each directions between 106th Street and Cliff Road. After 10 p.m., the freeway may be reduced to a single lane in each direction until 5 a.m. the following day. The ramp from 106th Street to southbound I-35W is closed until 2021.
9. Hwy. 55 in Rosemount: Westbound closed between Fischer Avenue and near 145th Street west of County Road 42.
West metro
10. Flying Cloud Drive in Eden Prairie: Closed from Hwy. 101 to Spring Road.
