Downtown motorists could get blocked with football traffic this weekend

Road construction takes a back seat to football as this weekend's biggest traffic hassles may come with the Vikings' home opener Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium and Gophers playing Saturday evening at TCF Bank Stadium.

Twins games at Target Field will add to the potential for downtown Minneapolis traffic jams as droves of pigskin fans flow into town.

A new closure on the Crosstown Hwy. 62 could throw a curve ball to west metro drivers as the eastbound lanes are closed between I-494 and Hwy. 100 until Monday morning.

For Vikings fans who want to leave the driving for others, MVTA is offering new service this year with $5 round-trip runs from the Burnsville and Marschall Road in Shakopee transit stations. SouthWest Transit runs service from its East Creek, Carver, Southwest Village and Southwest Station.

Motorists should always be watchful for bicyclists, but especially on Sunday as scores will be participating in the St Paul Classic Bike Tour.

Flying Cloud Drive in Eden Prairie is back open. And word is that the long-running closure on Penn Avenue in north Minneapolis should be lifted by the middle of next week.

Here roads that remain closed or have travel restrictions:

2. I-94: Reduced to two lanes between Chicago and Portland avenues.

3. Hennepin Avenue S.: Closed from Lake to 36th streets.

4. NE. Broadway Street: Closed from Stinson Boulevard to Industrial Boulevard until fall.

St. Paul
5. Wabasha Street and Kellogg Boulevard: Closed from Plato Boulevard to Cesar Chavez Street. Westbound Kellogg Boulevard closed 7th Street to Washington Street.

6. Hwy. 149/Smith Avenue: The High Bridge over the Mississippi River is closed until December. Periodic lane closures from the High Bridge to Hwy. 149 in Mendota Heights.

North metro
8. I-35 in Forest Lake: Southbound reduced to two lanes from Hwy. 8 to Hwy. 97. Northbound lanes have reopened.

9. Hwy. 10 in Elk River: Reduced to one lane in both directions between Waco Street and Upland Avenue.

10. Hwy. 169 in Champlin: Traffic will be two lanes in each direction on the new northbound and southbound Elm Creek bridges and between Hayden Lake Road and the Mississippi River. Northbound Hwy. 169 will be two lanes from Hwy. 610 to Hayden Lake Road while southbound will remain a single lane from Hayden Lake Road to Hwy. 610.

11. Brooklyn Boulevard in Brooklyn Center: Lane restrictions between 49th Avenue N. and Hwy. 100.

South metro
12. Hwy. 3 in Inver Grove Heights: Closed in both directions from County Road 26 to 60th Street and Hwy. 149 and 55. The intersection of Hwy. 3 and Rich Valley Road/County Road 71 is closed.

14. I-35W in Bloomington: Alternating lane closures in both directions between Cliff Road and 106th Street daily. After 10 p.m. the freeway may be reduced to a single lane through 6 a.m. the following day.

West metro
15. Hwy. 41 in Chaska: Closed in both directions from Hundertmark Road to Pioneer Trail. Lane closures between Hwys. 7 and 5.

16. Hwy. 7 in Hopkins and St. Louis Park: Lane closures between Blake Road and Louisiana Avenue.