Weekend traffic: Expect congestion as holiday travel combines with Minnesota road work

Travelers hitting the road for the Memorial Day weekend will encounter plenty of company and road construction in and outside the Twin Cities metro area.

Drivers on the way to the lake could find delays on popular getaway routes, including I-35 near Rush City, where the freeway is down to one lane in each direction. The same is true on I-94 in the Alexandria area. West of the metro, Hwy. 55 is shut down between Maple Lake and Annandale due to construction. Friday afternoon could be the worst time to leave as commuters mix with holiday travelers, according to traffic analysts.

Safety is on the mind of law enforcement, which is conducting a "Click It or Ticket" seat belt campaign through June 2. And while construction crews might get parts of the weekend off, speed limits in work zones are still in effect.

On the metro area sports scene, the Twins have games Friday and Monday nights and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at Target Field in Minneapolis. The Lynx home opener is Saturday night at Target Center. The St. Paul Saints play at CHS Field Friday through Sunday evenings.

Here are some of the potential trouble spots in the metro area:

1. Interstate 35W: Reduced to two southbound lanes from downtown to 43rd Street. Northbound is two lanes plus a MnPass lane up to 31st Street, then a third general traffic lane open to 3rd Street. This setup will be in place until late 2019. The ramp from northbound I-35W to 5th Avenue is closed.

2. Hennepin Avenue and 8th Street: Hennepin Avenue is a single lane in each direction between 7th and 12th streets; 8th Street is closed from Hennepin Avenue to S. 2nd Avenue with lane restrictions from S. 2nd to 4th avenues.

4. Interstate 94 in Woodbury and Oakdale: Alternating lane closures at the I-494/94/694 interchange. Vehicle-width limit of 14 feet, 6 inches in place until July 17.

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

6. I-35W and 35 in Columbus and Forest Lake: Northbound I-35W reduced to a single lane approaching the I-35W/35E split until fall. Periodic lane closures in both directions of I-35 from the split to Hwy. 8.

7. Interstate 694 at Rice Street in Little Canada: Ramps from eastbound and westbound I-694 to Rice Street, and from Rice Street to westbound I-694 closed. Lane restrictions on Rice Street from North Owasso Boulevard to Vadnais Boulevard.

8. Hwy. 10 in Mounds View: Eastbound reduced to a single lane from I-35W to County Road 96.

10. I-35W in Bloomington: Lanes closed in both directions between Cliff Road in Burnsville and 106th Street in Bloomington. The freeway may be one lane in each direction after 10 p.m. daily. Northbound I-35W reduced to one lane from 90th to 82nd streets until 5 p.m. Saturday.

11. Interstate 494 in South St. Paul and Woodbury: Westbound lane reductions between Bailey Road and 7th Avenue.

12. Hwy. 3 in Inver Grove Heights: Closed between 60th Street and County Road 26. Detour via I-494 and Hwys. 149 and 55.

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

14. Hwy. 13 in Prior Lake: Closed to vehicles traveling in both directions between Vergus Avenue and Hwy. 282 until June 21.