Ramsey County drivers, get ready to navigate around lots of orange cones and detours this summer as the Public Works Department will tackle more than 30 construction and maintenance projects between May and October.

One of the big ticket items is a rebuild of the congested interchange at I-35W and County Road 96 in Arden Hills. The county will spend $12.5 million replace a structurally deficient bridge with a diverging diamond interchange replete with with pedestrian trails.

The county is also teaming up with MnDOT to build a new bridge at County Road E and Snelling Avenue, also known as Hwy. 51. At the same time, County Road E will be restriped and new traffic signals will be installed between Snelling Avenue and Lexington Avenue.

Further to the north, Lexington Avenue will be reconstructed and a multi-use trail added between Cummings Park Dr. and I-694. Dedicated right and left turn lanes (including dual left turn lanes northbound and southbound on Lexington Ave.) and a new traffic signal will be added at County Road F. Right turn lanes will be added at the ramps to both eastbound and westbound I-694.

Other projects that will disrupt traffic include the reconstruction of Ford Parkway between Howell Street and Snelling Avenue and Randolph Avenue between Brimhall Street and Syndicate Street.

Countywide, more than 16 miles of streets will get fresh pavement and new sidewalk curbs will be installed at intersections to make them more pedestrian friendly and in line with American Disabilities Act. The county will spend $6.8 million on resurfacing in 2015, with $3.8 million of that money coming from the Wheelage Tax, a $10 surcharge applied on vehicle registrations to raise money for transportation improvements.

"Over the past two seasons, revenue from the wheelage tax has more than doubled the number of resurfacing projects Ramsey County Public Works has been able to tackle," said Ramsey County Board Chair Jim McDonough. "This is a good return on investment for our residents, businesses and visitors. Motorists benefit from smoother, safer trips with less vehicle wear-and-tear, and taxpayers benefit from long-term preservation of these roads and lower spot maintenance costs."

A complete list of scheduled projects approved Tuesday by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners is available at www.co.ramsey.mn.us/pw/2015projects