Football and concerts will bring crowds to downtown Minneapolis while construction projects on 694 and 35W will hamper the ability to get around.

The Metrodome will be epicenter of activity on Friday night as the Minnesota Vikings kickoff the pre-season with a game against the Houston Texans.

Fans driving to the game should not have any problems getting to the game, but Adrian Peterson might be running faster than motorists heading home. Several highways and freeways in every corner of the metro will shut down for the weekend starting Friday night. Those include:

For more details, see the ROADWORK section below.

Train riders won't escape construction either. Metro Transit has Blue Line track work scheduled on the southern-most part of the line between MSP Airport Terminal 2 and the Mall of America from 11:30 p.m. Friday until 3:30 a.m. Monday.

The Vikings game is not the only big event that will draw large amounts of traffic. Across the river in St. Paul, thousands will descend on Harriet Island for the Irish Fair of Minnesota on Harriet Island.

The weekend also features the Pizza Luce Block Party and Ecudorian Independence Day celebrations.

The purple gang takes to the gridiron at 7 p.m. Friday to begin the final season at the Metrodome. If you are going to the game, here are a few tips:

For those who drive to the game, or downtown workers who will be trying to get home, the City of Minneapolis will block off the following streets in the vicinity of the Metrodome beginning at 5 p.m. and keep them free from traffic until 2 hours after the game ends, roughly 11 p.m:

Arriving by light rail
The Metro Blue Line has been a popular way for fans to get to the game. But as game time approaches, cars are packed, so the best advice is to catch an early train. Be aware that track work will begin at 11:30 p.m. Friday until 3:30 a.m. Monday between MSP Terminal 2 and the Mall of America. Buses will fill in during the shut down. Trains will run as scheduled elsewhere along the line.

Train riders can take advantage of free parking at the 28th Avenue, Fort Snelling and Lake Street/Midtown stations. Northbound trains run about every 7 to 10 minutes for most of the evening.

After the game, Metro Transit will augment Blue Line service with buses that will take riders directly to the Fort Snelling and 28th Avenue Park & Ride lots. They will run from 8:30 p.m. until post-game crowds have dispursed.

Metro Transit also will run a special Northstar Commuter train to the game. The train will leave Big Lake at 5:06 p.m. and arrive at Target Field Station at 5:55 p.m. Departure is one hour after the game ends. Here is a link to the schedule and fares.

Bus

The following Metro Transit routes serve the Metrodome:

From the north or south, Routes 5, 7, 14, 19 and 22

From the west, Routes 7 and 9

Driving

It's always congested around the Metrodome, so the best advice is to park away from the stadium and walk or catch a Metro Transit bus or light rail for 50 cents from your favorite ramp or lot.

It's also cheaper as lots closest to the dome charge $20 or more. Here are links to downtown ramps, http://www.minneapolismn.gov/parking/ramps/index.htm

Here is a link to downtown Minneapolis parking meters and rates, http://www.mplsparking.com/CurrentMeterMap.pdf

Handicap parking

Biking

Outside bicycle parking is available cost free. The parking attendants at the loading dock entrance at 11th Avenue and 5th Street can direct you.

OTHER TRAFFIC GENERATING EVENTS/STREET CLOSURES

The Minneapolis Warehose District will be busy on Saturday night as Target Center is hosting the Summer Break Tour with Big Time Rush and Victoria Justice on Saturday night.

Those coming in on I-394 and I-94 will want to avoid using 4th Street. Pizza Luce is throwing a block party from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and 4th Street will be closed between 2nd and 1st Avenues. Motion City Soundtrack is the headline act.

"There is limited parking along Plato Blvd from Wabasha St West toward the park. Many private businesses near the part open their parking lots for the general public, most charge a fee. You can also park in downtown St. Paul and walk across the Wabasha St. bridge to the festival. Handicap parking is available on the north side of Water St between Wabasha and Plato Blvd until full."

Minneapolis Open Streets

The third in a series of Open Streets events takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Minnehaha Avenue between Lake Street and Minnehaha Pkwy. will be closed so citizens can walk, bike, skateboard and use wheelchairs to get around without having to deal with motorized traffic. Numerous family activities also will take place. See www.openstreetsmpls.com for details.

Ecuadorian Independence Day Celebrations

Spicy South American music, dancing, soccer and food are among the highlights of the Northeast Ecuadorian Independence Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Two blocks of Central Avenue from 22nd to 24th Avenues will be closed and traffic detoured. Metro Transit route 10 will be detoured.

New Brighton Stockyard Days

The celebration includes a parade, which will shut down portions of 10th Street, Old Highway 8, 8th Street and 8th Avenue from roughly 3 to 9 p.m. Friday. Metro Transit routes 141 and 4 will be on detour.

St. Paul Saints

The Saints host the Sioux City Explorers with games Friday through Sunday at Midway Stadium.

METRO AREA ROAD WORK

Work continues on the Bloomington Ferry Bridge in the south metro. Traffic is single lane head-to-head on the southbound side of the bridge through Aug. 23. Expect delays between Old Shakopee Road and County Road 18.

To the north, this should be the last weekend of a full shut down of Hwy. 169 between I-94 and Hwy. 55 through New Hope, Brooklyn Park and Golden Valley. The barricades go up at 9 p.m. Friday and they should come down by 5 a.m. Monday. Alternate route: I-494, or use Hwy. 55 or 394 to Hwy. 100.

I-35W through Burnsville and 35 through Lakeville

MnDOT crews will close southbound I-35W between Hwy. 13 and the Burnsville Split from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday for bridge painting. Detour: Motorists will be directed to use I-494 to I-35E to bypass the closure.

The ramp from southbound 35W to northbound Hwy. 13 will close, and all ramps from Hwy. 13 to southbound 35W will close.

I-694 update

Here is what will be closed this weekend for bridge demolition:

Both directions of Hwy. 252 at I-694. Detour: Southbound traffic will be rerouted to Hwy. 100 to eastbound 394.

Westbound 694 will be closed at Hwy. 100. Detour: South on Hwy. 100, then west on 394, then north on 494.

Westbound 94 from 394 to 694. Detour: West on 394, then north on 494.

Once that happens, ramps from East River Road to 694 in both directions will close for two months. Ramps from Hwy. 252 to 694 also will be closed. Drivers will still be able access East River Road from westbound 694.

I-694 in both directions will be a single lane from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily and two lanes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from Hwy. 252 to 35W, although the exact location of lane closures will vary.

I-94 at White Bear Avenue

Work on a drainage improvement project begins at Sunday night along I-94 between White Bear Avenue and Ruth Street. The ramp from White Bear Avenue to eastbound 94 will be closed until Sept. 7. The auxiliary lane between White Bear and Ruth also will be closed.

Motorists may encounter additional lane and shoulder closures in the area, MnDOT says.

The Hwy. 36 flyover bridge over Hwy. 95 in Oak Park Heights is coming down. MnDOT crews will begin demolition at 10 p.m. Friday. The result is that Hwy. 95 will be closed between Hwy. 36 and Point Road.

Detour: Motorists will be directed along 5th Avenue in Bayport to Stagecoach Trail, south to 47th Avenue and west to Osgood, north on Osgood to Hwy. 36 and east back to Hwy. 95.

Highway 10 in northwest metro

Motorists heading up north through Anoka and Coon Rapids will likely experience delays as lane closures go into effect Friday through Sunday. Here is what will be reduced to a single lane for bridge work and drainage repairs:

I-94 near Albertville

Lake Harriet Parkway

The parkway in south Minneapolis around the lake will be shut down from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday for the Emotions in Motion Run and Walk for Mental Health.