Expect weekend getaway routes to be busy with Minnesota fishing opener traffic

Here are two things anglers heading to this weekend's fishing opener won't want to catch: traffic and road construction.

Roads leading to the lakes will be rife with both, especially near Albert Lea, where the Governor's Fishing Opener takes place. Interstate 90, which runs just north of the southern Minnesota city, will be down to a single lane in each direction in the area and to the west between Fairmont and Blue Earth.

Motorists may encounter construction-related traffic jams on other popular getaway routes, including Interstate 94 near Alexandria, Hwy. 169 in Garrison and Hwy. 55 between Annandale and Maple Lake.

In the metro, the biggest snags may occur along interstates 35W and 35, where five separate road projects between Forest Lake and Bloomington have traffic squeezed into fewer lanes. There will also be the potential for traffic in downtown Minneapolis where the Twins have games Friday through Sunday.

Here are some of the larger construction projects in the metro area:

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. Ramp from northbound I-35W to 5th Avenue closed.

2. Hennepin Avenue: Single lane in each direction on Hennepin between 7th and 12th streets; 8th Street closed from Hennepin Avenue to 2nd Avenue S. with lane restrictions from 2nd to 4th avenues S.

4. Interstate 94 in Woodbury and Oakdale: 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 between Hwy. 10 in Mounds View and County Road E2 in Arden Hills. Additional periodic lane closures between Hwy. 36 in Roseville and Sunset Avenue in Lino Lakes.

6. I-35W, 35E and 35 in Forest Lake, Columbus and Hugo: Northbound I-35E will be reduced to a single lane south of the I-35W/I-35E split from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Northbound I-35W reduced to a single lane approaching the 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 N. Owasso Boulevard to Vadnais Boulevard.

8. Hwy. 65 in Ham Lake and East Bethel: Lane restrictions at 143rd Avenue, 153rd Avenue, 181st Avenue and Viking Boulevard.

10. I-35W in Bloomington: Lane closures in both directions between Cliff Road in Burnsville and 106th St. in Bloomington. The freeway may be reduced to a single lane in each direction after 10 p.m. daily.

11. Interstate 494 in South St. Paul: Westbound reduced to two lanes between Bailey Road and 7th Avenue. Ramps from Maxwell Avenue to westbound I-494 and from westbound I-494 to 5th/7th avenues closed. Ramps at Concord Street closed.

12. Hwy. 3 in Inver Grove Heights: Closed between 60th Street and County Road 26. Detour via I-494 and Hwys. 149 and 55.

13. 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.

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