Weekend traffic: I-35W closure, light-rail maintenance and lots of festivals

The summer festival season swings into high gear this weekend, but getting to the fun could prove challenging as a portion of I-35W will be closed in the north metro while a host of detours will be in place across the metro due to road construction.

Blue and Green light-rail trains will be offline between Franklin Avenue and Target Field Station from 9 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Friday through Monday. Buses will operate in place of trains, so allow extra time to complete your trip, Metro Transit said.

A few of the larger traffic-generating celebrations include Grand Old Days' "30 Blocks of Fun" Saturday and Sunday in St. Paul, the Edina Art Fair at 50th and France avenues Friday through Sunday and the first Open Streets event of the season in Minneapolis will bring a closure along a 20-block segment of Lyndale Avenue on Sunday.

Here is where you encounter cone zones and possible traffic snarls:

1. Hwy. 100: Traffic is sharing the southbound lanes between W. 36th Street and north of Hwy. 7 in St. Louis Park. It's also reduced to two lanes in each direction from W. 36th Street and Crosstown Hwy. 62. Look for ramp closures in the area as well.

2. I-94 in Rogers: Both directions will be reduced to one or two lanes from Hwy. 101 to west of Hwy. 241 at times during non-rush-hour periods.

3. I-494: Traffic between Fish Lake Road in Maple Grove and Hwy. 55 in Plymouth has been shifted to the southbound side of the freeway and is reduced to two lanes each direction until Nov. 4. There are several ramp closures at the I-394 and County Road 6 and Carlson Pkwy. interchanges.

5. I-35W in Arden Hills: Both directions of the freeway will be closed between Hwy. 10 and I-694 from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday to allow crews to demolish the County Road H overpass. The detour takes drivers along I-694 and I-35E. Another route to consider is westbound Hwy. 10 to Hwy. 65 to I-694.

6. Hwy. 65 in north metro: Southbound drivers will find lane closures 217th Avenue NE. down to Hwy. 10 through East Bethel and Blaine from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily.

7. I-35W in Minneapolis: Bridges over the freeway at Johnson Street, Broadway and Hennepin Avenue have directional closures in place.

8. I-694: Westbound lanes are split with a concrete median between I-35E and Lexington Avenue.

9. Hwy. 280: Closed between Broadway and I-35W and lanes reduced between I-94 and Broadway for the next few weeks. The ramp from southbound I-35W to southbound Hwy. 280 also is closed.

11. Hwy. 5: Traffic is sharing the eastbound side of the bridge as crews rebuild the westbound side. It's single lane traffic between Davern Street and Hwy. 55 through November. Some ramps are closed.

12. I-94 St. Paul to Woodbury: The resurfacing project between E. 7th Street and Century Avenue will last until the end of 2017. The newest closures include the left lane on both directions on I-94 from Century Avenue to Mounds Blvd. Look for ramp closures at Ruth Street to westbound I-94, White Bear Avenue to eastbound 94, Century Avenue to eastbound I-94 and westbound I-94 to Century. Also, the ramp from eastbound I-94 to E. 7th Street is closed for a few more days. To access downtown St. Paul, try 5th or 10th streets.

13. I-94 in the Midway: Bridges over Cretin Avenue,Prior Avenue and Victoria Street are closed.

14. I-94 in Minneapolis: The ramp to 5th Street is closed, but the new ramp to 7th Street has opened. Driver can also use 11th Street or head to Olson Hwy. north of the Lowry Tunnel if Target Field is your destination.

15. The Franklin Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis is closed until Labor Day weekend.

Festival-related closures

Minneapolis Open Streets: Lyndale Avenue from 22nd to 42nd Avenue S. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Edina Art Fair: Roads in the vicinity of 50th and France Avenues closed Friday through Sunday.

Grand Old Days: Grand Avenue closed between Dale Street and Prior Avenue 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. North-south traffic will be able to cross Grand at Dale Street and Lexington, Snelling and Fairview avenues. The party begins on Saturday, but road closures will be limited to Sunday.

Rivertown Art Fair: Look for extra traffic around Lowell Park Saturday and Sunday in Stillwater