Weekend Traffic: Bridge projects bring closures, lane reductions on I-35W

Freeway closures are never convenient and this weekend bridge projects in both the north and south metro will hamper travel on I-35W.

The northbound lanes of I-35W will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday between the I-35E/I-35W split in Burnsville and I-494 in Bloomington while the southbound lanes will be closed from I-494 to 90th Street and single lane from 90th to the I-35E/35W split. MnDOT will be taking down the 86th Street bridge

In Arden Hills, drivers will face lane reductions from County Road E to County Road 96 all while construction continues on I-94 from Brooklyn Center to downtown Minneapolis and from downtown St. Paul to Maplewood. Update: On Friday afternoon MnDOT announced it has pushed back the I-35E bridge work until next weekend, July 14 to 17.

Minneapolis will be alive with activity and road closures, too, as portions of Hennepin Avenue will be shut down for the Basilica Block Party Friday and Saturday nights. Just blocks away, the Twins continue a homestand with games Friday through Sunday at Target Field. Parkways in the vicinity of Minnehaha Park will be off limits to drivers during Saturday's Minneapolis Life Time Fitness Triathlon.

Road work elsewhere will put drivers on an endurance test of their own. If you are lucky to find some open road, don't speed. Law enforcement begins a two-week crack down on speeders on Friday through July 23.

Here is where you could find traffic tie-ups:

Interstate 94 in Minneapolis and St. Paul

2. I-94 from St. Paul to Maplewood: Eastbound has the left lane set aside for through traffic while the far right lane is for drivers who want to access local streets. Lane and restrictions and ramp closures between Century Avenue and Mounds Boulevard.

Minneapolis

3. Cedar and Portland avenues: Closed between 28th and Lake streets.

4. Minnehaha Avenue: Closed between Cedar and Franklin avenues.

5. 3rd Avenue: Single lane between 1st and 2nd streets Saturday and Sunday; lane closures on Washington Avenue between 3rd and 5th avenues S.

5. Hwy. 51/Snelling Avenue: Single lane in each direction between Como Avenue and Hwy. 36. Ramps from eastbound Hwy. 36 to

6. I-35E in St. Paul: Lane restrictions in the vicinity of Shepard Road.

7. White Bear Avenue in St. Paul: Closed between I-94 and Minnehaha Avenue

8. Hwy. 110 in Mendota Heights: Eastbound lanes closed between I-35E and I-494. Ramp from Hwy. 3/Robert Street to eastbound I-494 is closed through July 24.

North Metro

10. I-35E in Vadnais Heights: Reduced to two lanes from County Rd E to County Highway 96 starting at 7 p.m. on Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.

11. Eastbound 694 in Shoreview: Restricted to two lanes separated by a concrete barrier between Hwy. 10 and I-35E. The inside lane carries through traffic and drivers must continue east on I-694. The outside/right lane allows access to local streets and drivers must continue south on I-35E. Westbound traffic is down to two lanes. The ramp from Rice Street to westbound 694 closed until the project is finished in October. The ramp from eastbound 694 to Lexington Avenue is closed.

12. I-35W at Hwy. 10 in Arden Hills: The ramps from westbound Hwy. 10 to northbound I-35W and northbound I-35W to County Road I are closed.

West Metro

13. Hwy. 169 in Edina and St. Louis Park: The Nine Mile Creek bridge between Bren Road and Lincoln Drive/5th Street is closed and the highway is single lane between I-394 and Excelsior Boulevard. The ramp from westbound I-394 to southbound Hwy. 169 is closed through October

14. 66th Street in Richfield: Closed to through traffic between Girard and Xerxes avenues S.

15. 86th Street in Bloomington: The overpass at I-35W is closed through October. Use 90th Street to cross.