Twin Cities festivals and fireworks could be weekend's biggest traffic impediments

Where there are large civic events, there will be traffic.

This weekend features Aquatennial's Target Fireworks on Saturday, which routinely draws tens of thousands of people to downtown Minneapolis, and the opening of Vikings training camp in Eagan. Throw the Loring Park Art Festival, St. Paul Saints games and a Minnesota United soccer match into the mix and there is potential for tie-ups on the roads.

Lane closures on both directions on I-494 in the south metro could bring significant delays, the Minnesota Department of Transportation warned. A closure of eastbound I-94 in Minneapolis on Friday night to Saturday morning will put drivers on detour.

Blue Line trains will not operate between the Franklin Avenue and 46th Street stations from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Sunday. Buses will shuttle passengers between the stations while crews make track repairs.

Here is where you will find construction this weekend:

1. I-35W: Lane reductions in both directions between 43rd Street and I-94. Ramps closed from northbound I-35W to westbound I-94 and eastbound I-94 to southbound I-35W.

2. Hennepin Avenue and 8th Street: Hennepin is a single lane in each direction between 7th and 12th streets; 8th Street is closed from Hennepin to 2nd Avenue S.

4. I-94 in Oakdale and Woodbury: Alternating lane closures in both directions at the I-694/I-494 junction. Ramps from westbound I-94 to southbound I-494 and southbound I-694 to eastbound I-94 closed.

5. I-494 in South St. Paul and Woodbury: Westbound I-494 reduced to two lanes between Bailey Road and Hwy. 61 and three lanes between Hwy. 61 and 7th Avenue. Eastbound down to two lanes between 7th Avenue and Hwy. 61.

6. I-494 in Mendota Heights and Sunfish Lake: Westbound I-494 reduced to two lanes between Hwy. 62 (Old Hwy. 110) and I-35E from 6 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Eastbound I-494 has lane reductions between I-35E and Hwy. 62 from 6 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Eastbound down to a single lane starting at 9 p.m. Friday.

7. Hwy. 95 in Denmark Township: Both directions closed between County Road 22 and Hwy. 61 until Sept. 2.

8. I-35W from Roseville to Lino Lakes: Lane reductions in both directions between Hwy. 10 in Mounds View and County Road E2 in Arden Hills. Additional periodic lane closures between Hwy. 36 in Roseville and Sunset Avenue in Lino Lakes. Ramps from southbound I-35W to County Road I and eastbound Hwy. 10 closed. Ramps to and from southbound I-35W and Lexington Avenue closed.

10. Hwy. 10 in Mounds View: Eastbound reduced to a single lane between I-35W and County Road 96 until Sept. 2.

11. Brooklyn Boulevard in Brooklyn Center: Single lane in both directions between 49th and 55th avenues N. Ramps from Hwy. 100 to Brooklyn Boulevard closed.

12. I-35W in Bloomington and Burnsville: Lane restrictions in both directions between 106th Street and Cliff Road.

13. Normandale Boulevard in Bloomington: Closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday between 82nd Street and the Nine Mile Creek bridge. Ramps from I-494 and Hwy. 100 to Normandale Boulevard closed.

14. Hwy. 3 in Inver Grove Heights: Closed from 60th Street to County Road 26 until Nov. 1.

16. I-494 in Plymouth: Northbound reduced to a single lane from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. every night through Aug. 2.

Southwest metro

17. Flying Cloud Drive in Eden Prairie: Closed between Hwy. 101 and Spring Road.