Construction on the new MnPASS lane on I-35E north of downtown St. Paul begins next summer as part of a project to reconstruct the freeway between University Avenue and Little Canada Road.
Representatives from the Minnesota Department of Transportation will talk about the projects during an open house from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Jerome's Catholic Church, 380 E. Roselawn Avenue.
Between now and 2015, MnDOT will add the HOT lane and reconstruct the 5-mile segment to include three general purpose lanes in each directions. It also includes removing the interchange at Pennsylvania Avenue and replacing it with a full-service interchange to the north at Cayuga Street.
The project, estimated to cost between $80 million and $105 million, also includes replacing bridges at Arlington Avenue, Wheelock Pkwy. and Larpenteur Avenue. Bridges at Roselawn Avenue and County Road B also will be rebuilt with wider bridges.
At Hwy. 36, the 35E bridges over the highway will be replaced, and minor adjustments to the ramps and loops to improve safety for merging traffic will be made, MnDOT said.
A video about the project is here.
