Road work ramps up with weekend work; more projects start next week

Road construction took a short break for Independence Day, but with the Wednesday holiday in the rear view mirror, it's back to work on projects already underway and a full slate of new projects that begin Monday.

Most notably is the major resurfacing of Hwy. 55 from Division Street in Buffalo to Electric Drive in Rockford. For seven weeks motorists in the far west metro will be sent on a 15-mile detour via Hwys. 25 and 12 and Hennepin County Roads 11, 139 and 92.

This weekend will bring enough headaches of its own with one northbound lane of Interstate 35W closed from northeast Minneapolis to Roseville. That's on top of the work on Interstate 35W from downtown to Crosstown.

Bicyclists and those on foot won't be able to use the Whitney Pedestrian Bridge to get to this weekend's Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis. The bridge spanning I-94 linking the Walker Art Center with Loring Park is now closed until late August.

Traffic generating events include Twins games at Target Field, a Tim McGraw concert Saturday at Target Center and Saints games at CHS Field in downtown St. Paul.

A two-week statewide speeding enforcement effort kicks of this weekend. Lead foot drivers caught going more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit can be tagged with $100 fine with court fees.

Here is where you'll find orange cones and possible delays.

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 third general traffic lane open to 3rd Street. MnPASS northbound open to 31st Street. This set up will be in place until late 2019. Ramps from northbound I-35W to 11th Street and 5th Avenue and to from 12th Street/4th Avenue to southbound closed.

2. Interstate 94: Westbound reduced to two lanes from Chicago Avenue to Nicollet Avenue until fall.

3. Penn Avenue N.: Closed for C-Line bus rapid transit line construction from 23rd to Lowry avenues and 35th to Dowling avenues.

4. Hennepin Avenue S.: Closed from 31st to 36 streets.

Northeast Minneapolis

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

St. Paul

7. Wabasha Street: Closed from Plato Boulevard to Cesar Chavez Street due to a rock slide.

8. Hwy. 149/Smith Avenue: The High Bridge over the Mississippi River is closed until December.

East Metro

10. Hwy. 95 in Afton: Closed both directions between Bailey Road and 70th Street.

North Metro

11. Interstate 35 in Forest Lake: Northbound reduced to two lane from Hwy. 97 to Hwy. 8. Southbound periodic lane reductions.

12. Hwy. 10 in Elk River: Eastbound reduced to one lane and westbound to two lanes and sometimes one for between Joplin Street and Upland Avenue. Periodic lane closures in both directions from Hwy. 101 to Thurston Avenue.

13. Hwy. 169 in Champlin: Single lane traffic in both directions between Hwy. 610 and East Hayden Lake Road.

14. 66th Street in Richfield: Closed to through traffic between Humboldt and Portland avenues S. The project extends from Xerxes Avenue on the west end to 16th Avenue South on the east end.

15. Hwy. 50 in Farmington: Single lane with flaggers between Hwy. 3 and Hwy. 52.

16. Hwy. 3 in Inver Grove Heights: Closed in both directions between Rich Valley Boulevard and Hwy. 55.

West Metro

17. Hwy. 41 in Chaska: Closed in both directions from Hundertmark Road and Pioneer Trail until Sept. 3.