MnDOT rolls out this year's road projects

"Devil's Triangle" in Brooklyn Park will no longer languish, and "Unweave the Weave" will be unwoven.

By JIM FOTI, Star Tribune

Last update: April 10, 2008 - 11:58 PM

This year's road construction projects will offer drivers a variety of suffering, but the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) claims the pain will be worth the gain.

The department's annual construction-season list, released Thursday, contains some long-awaited projects, including the revamping of the "Devil's Triangle" in Brooklyn Park. The notorious triple intersection has languished for years because of funding problems, but starting in July and extending until 2011, crews will work to route Hwy. 169 over two cross streets and a railroad track.

Many drivers from the western suburbs, meanwhile, will encounter a brief but intense bottleneck where Hwy. 12 approaches Interstate 494 (and turns into I-394). The freeway is three lanes in each direction in that area, but during repaving from July 7 to Sept. 3, it'll be a single lane on each side.

The Wakota Bridge and Crosstown Commons will continue their long slog toward completion this summer, but among the bigger projects slated to finish up this year are the I-35W replacement bridge, the "Unweave the Weave" project on I-694 and 35E, and the new Hwy. 212 in the southwest suburbs.

The projects were among 157 new and ongoing projects trumpeted by MnDOT, which put the value of this year's new starts at $441 million.

Acting Transportation Commissioner Bob McFarlin and Deputy Transportation Commissioner Lisa Freese spent the day barnstorming in state airplanes to tout the projects' benefits to the state's mobility and economy. McFarlin held news conferences in St. Cloud, Minneapolis, Rochester and Duluth, while Freese hit Mankato, Marshall and Bemidji.

Jim Foti • 612-673-4491

Recent North Metro stories

New Ramsey theatre takes an all-inclusive approach on, off the stage - April 10, 2008

New Ramsey theatre takes an all-inclusive approach on, off the stage - Community theater in Anoka is producing a contemporary version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" with newbies and veterans alike. More