Big changes are coming for commuters who use I-35E, and the best news is that the freeway will be returning to three lanes in both directions between Little Canada Road and Maryland Avenue. That will happen in phases starting Friday morning and continuing into early next week. Ramps along that stretch also will begin to reopen.

Commuters have been contending with a two-lane configuration and numerous ramp closures since spring as MnDOT rebuilds the freeway and adds a MnPASS lane. Most of that work will resume in 2015.

Overnight Thursday into Friday, northbound motorists could experience delays between Cayuga Street and Maryland Avenue. Traffic will be reduced to one lane as MnDOT moves cones and barrels in preparation of shifting traffic to the new northbound lanes at Cayuga Street. Then at 5 a.m. Friday, a third lane on northbound I-35E near Cayuga Street that has been closed for several weeks for ongoing reconstruction will be back in service.

Now here is the word from MnDOT when the rest of the lanes and ramps will open:

Sometime late on Friday, northbound traffic will be moved to three lanes of the repaved northbound side of the road. Then on late Monday, a third lane of southbound I-35E will reopen.

As far as the ramps along I-35E, here is the latest schedule provided by MnDOT::

Little Canada Road to southbound I-35E to open early Tuesday.
Southbound I-35E to eastbound Hwy 36 to open early Tuesday.
Westbound and eastbound Hwy 36 to southbound I-35E to open early Tuesday.
Roselawn Avenue to southbound I-35E to open early Tuesday.
Maryland Avenue to northbound I-35E to open Saturday.
Northbound I-35E to Roselawn Avenue to open Saturday.
Roselawn Avenue to northbound I-35E to open Saturday.
Northbound I-35E to westbound Hwy 36 to open Saturday.
Northbound I-35E to eastbound Hwy 36 to open Saturday.
Westbound and eastbound Hwy 36 to northbound I-35E to open Saturday.
Northbound I-35E to Little Canada Road to open Saturday.