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Weekend traffic alert: Festivals, parades and a spate of road work

This weekend serves up a number of big spring celebrations and parades and that will put extra traffic on the roads. There's also a full slate of road work that motorists will have to dodge.

By Tim Harlow

May 5, 2017 at 4:50PM

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Photo: Aaron Lavinsky, Star Tribune

This weekend serves up a number of big spring celebrations and parades - the Festival of Nations and Cinco de Mayo in St. Paul and the In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre May Day Parade and Festival in Minneapolis to name a few - and that will put extra traffic on the roads.

There's also a full slate of road work that motorists will have to dodge.

On the sports scene the Twins are home at 7 p.m. Friday night and 1:10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Target Field in downtown Minneapolis. The Loons, our new soccer team, plays at TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota. The Lynx have a game at 7 p.m. Friday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Transit riders won't find any major disruptions on buses or trains, but some routes will be detoured around construction and festivals. Check www.metrotransit.org for specifics.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

I-94 St. Paul to Maplewood: Eastbound drivers will find alternating lane closures from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Saturday between Mounds Boulevard and Century Avenue. Drivers should expect lane restrictions in both directions, traffic delays and temporary exit/entrance ramp closures as well. Southbound McKnight Road between Old Hudson Rd and Burns Avenue will be a single lane from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through May 17.

I-94 from Brooklyn Center to Nicollet Avenue: This ongoing project has I-94 down to two lanes in each direction between I-694 and Hwy. 55. New for this weekend, southbound Hwy. 252 will be down to a single lane at I-694 from 8 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. Also the ramp from southbound 252 to eastbound/westbound I-694, Hwy. 100 and westbound I-94 will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.

East Metro

Hwy. 36 in Oakdale to Oak Park Heights: Expect lane closures in both directions as crews install a new cable median barrier.

Hwy 95 at St. Croix Crossing: Both directions of Hwy 95 down to one lane under the bridge through May 13.

Hwy. 51/Snelling Avenue in St. Paul: The road is down to a single lane in each direction between Como Avenue and Hwy. 36 through October. No access to the ramp from Como Avenue to northbound Snelling until Wednesday.

North Metro

I-694 Little Canada to Arden Hills: Eastbound I-694 is restricted to two lanes separated by a concrete median barrier between Hwy. 10 and I-35E. The inside lane carries through traffic and drivers must continue east on I-694. The outside lane allows local ramp access and must continue south on I-35E. Westbound I-694 is reduced to two lanes. Note: The ramp from Rice Street to westbound I-694 is closed for the duration of project, which will last until fall.

Hwy. 10 in Arden Hills: The ramp from westbound Hwy. 10 to northbound I-35W is closed through late-August.

Hwy. 610 in Maple Grove: Single lane in each direction between Elm Creek Boulevard and I-94 until June 8. Also in the area: The ramp from westbound County Road to westbound Hwy 610 and the ramp from eastbound Hwy 610 to eastbound County 81 are closed.

West Metro

Hwy. 100 in Edina: Southbound from 50th Street to Vernon Avenue is closed 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Hwy. 169 Edina to Golden Valley: The Nine Mile Creek bridge is closed between Bren Road and 7th St (5th St, Lincoln Drive. There are several lane closures between I-394 and Excelsior Boulevard and the ramp from westbound I-394 to southbound Hwy 169 is closed through October.

South Metro

86th Street in Bloomington: The overpass at I-35W is closed through October. Use 90th Street.

I-494 in Bloomington: One lane moved to shoulder for repairs in the vicinity of Penn Avenue.

County Road 42 in Burnsville: The westbound lanes are closed until May 22 at the I-35W interchange. Alternates include Southcross Drive or McAndrews Road.

Hwy. 52 in Cannon Falls: MnDOT warns of long delays in the area of Hwy. 19 and County Road 24 Boulevard due to bridge work.

PARADES AND EVENTS

May Day Parade and Festival: The giant puppets, colorful characters and floats will travel down Bloomington from 28th Street to 34th Street, then right over to Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis. The parade steps off at noon, but expect street closures a few hours before.

Cinco de Mayo: The big party on St. Paul's West Side takes place Saturday and with it comes a number of road closures and parking restrictions along Cesar Chavez and adjacent streets. The affected area is bounded by Robert Street and Hwy. 52.

Festival of Nations: The RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul is the epicenter of all things cultural, showcasing more than 90 ethnic groups through exhibits, performances and food Friday through Sunday. That will bring traffic and pedestrians to W. 5th and 7th streets and Kellogg Boulevard.

Walk for Animals: People and their pets will take over Theodore Wirth Parkway from Hwy. 55 to Plymouth Avenue in Minneapolis. The walk starts at 10 a.m. Saturday.

about the writer

Tim Harlow

Reporter

Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather.