Weekend traffic: Work on intersection will slow drivers on Hwy. 65 in Ham Lake

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is building an intersection designed to cut down on crashes at the intersection of Hwy. 65 and Viking Boulevard in Ham Lake.

The state has about a dozen intersections where drivers traveling straight across the highway or turning left are directed to turn right onto the highway. Then drivers make a U-turn at a marked opening in the median to get where they were going. The one that will bring lane restrictions on Hwy. 65 in Ham Lake this weekend comes with a new twist: It will be the only one with a stop light.

It's called a reduced conflict intersection or a U-turn intersection, J-turn intersection or a Michigan left turn, since the intersections are common in that state.

Due to expected inclement weather, Metro Transit has called off weekend maintenance planned on the portion of the Blue Line between Target Field and Franklin Avenue stations and the Green Line between Target Field and Stadium Village. Service will run as usual.

It's Art-A-Whirl weekend, so expect extra traffic on streets near the 60 locations in northeast Minneapolis where artists will display their wares. Other traffic-generating events include a Cher concert Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, the Twin Cities Heart Walk on Saturday morning at Target Field and a Minnesota United game at 7 p.m. Saturday at Allianz Field.

Here are some of the cone zones that may snarl traffic:

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.

3. Hwy. 13 in West St. Paul: Closed between Cherokee Heights Boulevard and Hwy. 149.

4. Interstate 94 in Oakdale and Woodbury: 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.

9. Hwy. 65 in Ham Lake: Both directions reduced to a single lane at Viking Boulevard until 5 a.m. Monday.

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

11. France Avenue in Edina: Closed in both directions from 62nd St. to 66th St. through mid-July. Ramps to and from Hwy. 62 to France Avenue closed.

12. 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.

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

15. Hwy. 77/Cedar Avenue in Eagan: Daily lane closures from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Diffley and Cliff roads until May 24.

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

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