Transit tips and tidbits: Stormy weather, tournaments and revelry ahead for the weekend

After Thursday's taxing morning commute and followed by another on Friday, the weekend can't arrive soon enough for commuters.

And there is another storm set to sour Monday's morning commute with several inches of snow possible, so enjoy Saturday while it is here.

Champions will be crowned on Saturday. Look for extra folks and traffic around the Target Center and the University of Minnesota where the Girl's State High School Basketball Tournament wraps up.

It just so happens that Saturday has plenty of options for funseekers, too. Minneapolis and St. Paul will celebrate St. Patrick's Day one day early with parades in their respective downtowns. In St. Paul, festivities begin at noon and in Minneapolis they start at 6:30 p.m.

Metro Transit and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority will offer free rides on buses from 6 p.m. until the last bus on Saturday. Rides on the Hiawatha Light Rail also will be free.

During parades the following Metro Transit routes will be on detour:

In St. Paul, these detours will be in effect from approximately 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.:

Buses that normally travel east on 5th St. and west on 6th St. will instead travel on 7th St. in both directions between 5th St. (Xcel Energy Center) and Wall. There will be no service on Kellogg/Lafayette or Broadway.

Routes 21 and 54 will serve the Union Depot via 7th St., Wall, 5th St. and Broadway.

Board buses on 7th St. at Wall, Jackson, Robert, Minnesota, Wabasha, St. Peter and Old 6th.

Routes 3 and 62

Buses on Wabasha and Cedar will travel on their regular routes but only north of 6th St. During the detour, there will be no service south of 6th St. on those routes.

Routes 16 and 94

Buses on Cedar or Minnesota will travel on their regular routes but only north of 6th St. During the detour, there will be no service south of 6th St. on those routes.

Board buses to Minneapolis on 6th St. at Minnesota.

Route 67

Northbound buses will travel on Wabasha, Kellogg, 7th St., Cedar and 6th St., then looping back to northbound Wabasha. Board northbound buses on Wabasha at 6th St. (Macy's).

Routes 68 and 71

Northbound buses will travel on Robert, Fillmore, Plato, Chester St., to E. Lafayette Service Rd., then travel north on Hwy. 52, west on 7th St. and north on Robert.

Southbound buses will travel on Robert St., 7th St., south Hwy. 52 (Lafayette Bridge), then exit at Plato, before traveling on Plato, Fillmore and Robert.

Board buses on 7th St. at 9th St. Route 71 buses will serve Comcast.

In Minneapolis, these routes will be on detour from about 4:30-8:30 p.m.: Route 10

Route 11

Northbound Route 11 buses will travel on Nicollet, Grant, LaSalle, 11th St., Hennepin, then regular route. Southbound buses will travel on Hennepin, 12th St., LaSalle, Grant, Nicollet, then regular route.

Route 17

Northbound Route 17 buses will travel on Nicollet, Grant, LaSalle, 11th St., Hennepin, Washington, then regular route. Southbound buses will travel on Washington, Hennepin, 12th St., LaSalle, Grant, Nicollet, then regular route.

Route 18

Route 25

Northbound Route 25 buses will travel on Nicollet, Grant, LaSalle, 11th St., Hennepin, Washington, then regular route. Southbound buses will travel on Washington, Hennepin, 12th St., LaSalle, Grant, then regular route.