Traffic on Interstate 94 in downtown Minneapolis is flowing at freeway speeds after a midmorning vehicle fire on Tuesday caused a massive traffic jam for both eastbound and westbound motorists.
A van traveling on eastbound I-94 broke down in the left lane and caught fire near Huron Blvd. shortly before 10 a.m., creating a traffic snarl in both directions between Hwy. 280 and Cedar Avenue.
Police and fire crews blocked two eastbound lanes for about an hour while they extinguished the flames. Westbound traffic was also jammed as smoke and water spilled over the concrete barrier.
Compounding matters for eastbound motorists is that MnDOT is refurbishing a noise wall between Huron Blvd. and Hwy. 280. With the right lane blocked for that work and two lanes blocked due to the fire, vehicles snaked past the scene in a single lane.
All westbound lanes reopened by 11 a.m. and the eastbound lanes shortly afterward.
Road work in the area will be in place until 3 p.m., the Minnesota Department of Transportation said.
Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768
