Portland Av. bridge in Minneapolis and Bloomington Ferry Bridge to reopen

Commuters will find it easier to get around by the end of this week.

The Portland Avenue bridge over Interstate 94 is scheduled to reopen at 6 p.m. Friday, making it easier to get out of downtown Minneapolis.

Along with the bridge's opening, Portland Avenue S. between 16th and 17th Streets will reopen. At the same time, the segment of Portland between 18th and 19th Streets that changed to accommodate detoured traffic will revert to a one-way southbound street.

The Park Avenue bridge won't reopen until sometime in September, so commuters will keep using the alternate routes in play since construction started in May. The suggested detour for Park Avenue is to follow E. Franklin Avenue to Chicago Avenue S., then head back to Park Avenue S. via 17th Street.

The $5.7 million projects include building new bridge decks and railings, replacing beams and upgrading pedestrian crossings at the intersections of Park and Portland Avenues at 17th and 18th Streets to meet accessibility standards.

Many south suburban commuters were dismayed Wednesday to find single-lane traffic still in effect across the Bloomington Ferry Bridge. MnDOT also got its share of angry calls and e-mails, spokeswoman Kirsten Klein said. But, she said, drivers should see lanes opening by Thursday.