Traffic jams are likely in downtown Minneapolis Wednesday night as the Aquatennial's Torchlight parade and related events take over Hennepin Avenue. That will put extra traffic on surrounding streets and Metro Transit buses on detour.
Starting at 7 p.m., Hennepin will close between Dunwoody Boulevard and S. 3rd Street. The closure will be in place until 10:30 p.m. or when the parade finishes.
Metro Transit is warning riders to expect major delays between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. as buses that normally run on Hennepin will be rerouted and others will be impacted by expected heavy traffic. Here is information on where buses will be running before and during the parade. Some buses will be rerouted until midnight.
During the closure, traffic will be able to cross Hennepin at 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, 16th and Maple streets. Motorists can also use southbound Lyndale Avenue.
Dunwoody Boulevard in the area of Hennepin and Lyndale avenues will be closed and traffic will not be allowed to exit onto Dunwoody from eastbound I-394. That ramp will shut down at 5:45 p.m., the Minnesota Department of Transportation said.
A number of other streets in the downtown area will be shut down from 7 to 8:30 p.m. for the Twin Cities Orthopedics Torchlight 5K and the CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade.
- 3rd Street S, from 1st Avenue N. to 2nd Avenue S..
- N. 1st Street from Hennepin to 4th Avenue N.
- 4th Avenue N., from N. 1st Street to West River Parkway.
- West River Parkway, from 4th Avenue N. to Portland Avenue.
- Main Street, from 3rd Avenue SE. to 6th Avenue SE.
