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This weekend in traffic: I-35E closure, festivals and baseball

Crowds are already gathering for the annual Edina Art Fair, which will bring lots of extra traffic and pedestrians to the 50th and France Avenue area. The second Open Streets celebration will bring a closure to a large portion of Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis while MnDOT will shut down a portion of two metro area freeways this weekend.

By Tim Harlow

June 6, 2014 at 7:28PM

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Crowds are already gathering for the annual Edina Art Fair, which will bring lots of extra traffic and pedestrians to the 50th and France Avenue area. The second Open Streets celebration will bring a closure to a large portion of Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis while MnDOT will shut down a portion of two metro area freeways this weekend.

The Twins are home with games against Houston at Target Field in downtown Minneapolis Friday through Sunday.

Freeway closures

The Gateway Trail and Larpenteur Avenue bridges over I-35E in St. Paul are coming down this weekend in connection with the MnPASS and pavement improvement project that's underway.

First up, the Larpenteur Avenue bridge will close at 5 p.m. Friday and be out of commission for the next six weeks.

I-35E will shut down in both directions between Hwy. 36 and I-94 in downtown St. Paul Friday through Monday morning. Lanes will be restricted in stages starting at 7 p.m. when the freeway will be reduced to two lanes. At 9 p.m., one lane in each direction will be open until 10 p.m., when all lanes will be off limits until 5 a.m. Monday.

Ramps along 35E between Hwy. 36 and I-94 will begin closing at 9 p.m.

In Brooklyn Center the eastbound lanes of I-694 will be shut down at the Xerxes Avenue to the I-94/Hwy. 252 interchange from 8 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.

Traffic will be detoured onto I-94, which runs parallel to 694. Once past the work zone, drivers can either continue east (south) on 94 to Minneapolis, or return to eastbound 694.

The ramp from northbound Hwy. 100 to eastbound 694 will be closed. A detour will be posted.

In addition, the section of 694 between Xerxes Avenue and I-35W still has nightly lane closures at times, so don't be surprised to see restrictions in place along that stretch, in both directions.

Here are a couple of other ongoing closures:

The ramp from southbound I-35E to Victoria Street and the ramp from Victoria Street to northbound I-35E are closed until 7 p.m. June 16.
Nightly lane closures on Hwy. 10 from Fairoak Avenue and Hanson Boulevard in Coon Rapids
Left lane closure on I-35W Mississippi River bridge in both directions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday as MnDOT replaces the Anti-Ice Sensor.
Left lanes of I-35W in Blaine at Lake Drive and 95th Avenue for bridge work, all weekend.
The St. Anthony Parkway Bridge at University Avenue over the railroad tracks until further notice
Central Avenue between 18th and 14th Avenues NE. until further notice as a new railroad bridge is being constructed.

The weather might be soggy on Saturday, but Sunday is looking to be a fine summer day. That will likely bring throngs to take in the culture of the second installment of Minneapolis Open Streets. This week's fete will have Lyndale Avenue between 22nd Street & 42nd Street S. closed to vehicular traffic from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Get a free ride from Metro Transit.

The 48th annual Edina Art Fair features the wares of 320 fine artists and crafters from around Minnesota, the U.S. and Canada. An estimated 150,000 people will attend the three-day event Friday through Sunday at 50th and France Avenues. Look for street and lane restrictions in the vicinity, and of course, for pedestrians and bicyclists. Free rides are available from Metro Transit.

Three Minneapolis Parkway will be closed for parts of Saturday:

Lake Harriet Parkway around the entire lake from 8 to 11 a.m. for the Walker Methodist Run and Walk
Lake Nokomis Parkway around the entire lake from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. for the Lymphomathon.
West River Parkway from Franklin Avenue to Godfrey Pkwy. near Minnehaha Park, 9 to 10:45 a.m. for the Liz Logelin Foundation 5K and 10K runs.

about the writer

Tim Harlow

Reporter

Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather.