Other than the fact that the above photo is a bit hard to see, was anybody else befuddled by this electronic sign along eastbound I-94 in Minneapolis over the weekend?
Right here on this blog on Friday I reported that I-35E was to be closed between I-94 and Hwy. 36 from Friday night to Monday morning. But when I drove past this sign on eastbound 94 at Huron Blvd., I thought, wow, did I goof and tell readers the wrong thing?
Nope, I got it right, I-35E was closed north of I-94, but wide open to the south.
"Oops. Does sound like a case of directional dyslexia for the contractor," said Brian Kary, freeway operations engineer for MnDOT. "I'm guessing the contractor was putting up multiple signs like this. Probably just had done a sign in the northern part of the metro saying south 35E was closed. Came to this sign and still had "south" on the brain."
MnDOT did not report getting any complaints.
Motorists didn't seem to be baffled by the sign since an overhead sign near Riverside Avenue had the correct information, and temporary detour signs along I-94 pointed drivers in the right direction, north on Hwy. 280 to eastbound Hwy 36 to I-35E.
The freeway was shut down over the weekend to allow crews to demolish the Gateway Trail and Larpenteur Avenue bridges over 35E. They are being replaced as part of the upgrades to I-35E between Little Canada Road and downtown St. Paul. The project includes repaving and adding a MnPASS lane.
Here are a few notes for drivers who may not frequent the area, and some traffic impacts:
