Weekend traffic: Fishing opener, Race for the Cure, I-494 ramp closures

As anglers head out of town to their favorite lake for this weekend's fishing opener, motorists can expect extra traffic an construction delays on popular get-away routes.

For those who stay in town, thousands will make their way to Southdale Center for the annual Race for the Cure on Sunday.

The Wild are out of the playoffs and the Twins are away, so traffic downtown should be on the light side. That's good because the City of Minneapolis is repaving 11th and 12th Streets and utility work will have a swath of 4th Avenue S. shut down. (See below downtown street closing for information regarding re-routing of Plymouth Metrolink buses.)

A couple freeway ramps on I-494 in Bloomington will be added to the long list of road construction projects that could impede traffic. And at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, MnDOT gets to work on replacing the Snelling Avenue overpass at I-94. Come Monday, drivers will have to find an alternate route, with Hamline Avenue and Lexington Avenue as two close crossings.

No major service disruptions are expected on Twin Cities transit. MVTA says some buses that run along Cedar Avenue might be slowed up due to new construction barriers set up on the side of the road. Metro Transit warns Northstar riders that trains could run up to 10 minutes late Friday and Saturday between Fridley and Coon Rapids due to BNSF track maintenance.

With that, here are some specifics

Race for the Cure

Fishing Opener

With more vehicles on the highways and freeways and lots of construction on key routes, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is warning motorists to use extra care while driving through highway work zones.

One that has the potential to cause big traffic backups is Hwy. 10 between St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids. The highway will be reduced to a single lane in both directions.

To the south, I-35 is will have single lane traffic in each direction between Owatonna and Albert Lea.

MnDOT reminds drivers to expect delays in these areas especially during peak periods and to check www.511mn.org for outstate road construction information.

I-494 ramps in Bloomington

Those traveling in the vicinity of the Mall of America will find two new ramp closures that go into effect at 10 p.m. Friday.

The ramp from eastbound I-494 to northbound Cedar Avenue/Hwy. 77 and the northbound ramp from Cedar Avenue/Hwy. 77 to westbound I-494 will be closed until 5 a.m. Monday.

Detour signs will direct motorists to exits at Hwy. 5 and 34th Avenue. The closures are related to bridge deck construction on Cedar Avenue.

Also in the area, the 12th Avenue overpass over I-494 in Bloomington remains closed. During the four-week closure, motorists traveling southbound on 12th Avenue will be detoured to westbound 77th Street, southbound Portland Avenue and eastbound American Blvd. Northbound traffic will be detoured to westbound American Blvd., northbound Portland Avenue and eastbound 77th Street.

The beat goes on for drivers on this west metro freeway as MnDOT rebuilds I-494 from the Fish Lake Interchange down to Hwy. 55 continues. Two northbound lanes will be open and one southbound lane open Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. That's when MnDOT will slide the moveable barrier over to create a second southbound lane to accommodate folks returning from out of town. From Sunday afternoon until Monday afternoon, northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane.

This week a number of new ramp closures went into effect. So in case you missed that news, here they are:

In the same area, Hennepin County Road 47 between Yucca Lane and Teakwood Lane will be closed to traffic until late May. The closure is needed while crews reconstruct the southbound side of I-494 over County Road 47.

Here is the detour:

Hwy. 100 through St. Louis Park

The Minnetonka Boulevard Bridge over Hwy. 100 is being rebuilt. The road is between Salem and W Lake Street is closed through October.

I-35E in St. Paul and Maplewood

Commuters all week have been dealing with changes between Maryland Avenue and Little Canada Road, and more changes are in store. With traffic shifted to the northbound lanes - two for southbound drivers and three open to northbound drivers - a number of ramps will be closed until fall. Here is what is closed:

Hwy. 5/West 7th Street near Ft. Snelling

This has been quite a nightmare for drivers trying to get to and from the MSP Airport as the road is down to a single lane in both directions between Ft. Snelling (Hwy. 55) to Shepard Road.

The bridge over the Mississippi River is being redecked, Expect backups along W. 7th Street and onto the Mendota Bridge and back into St. Paul starting at Davern Street.

Hwy. 10 in Ramsey

Hwy 10 near Armstrong Boulevard may have congestion related delays through October while Armstrong Boulevard is closed north of Hwy 10.

Downtown Minneapolis streets

A paving project has 12th Street between Glenwood Avenue and 3rd Avenue S. closed.

The city will be removing the current layer of asphalt on both city streets, and putting down a new driving surface. Officials say the work should be completed by 10 p.m. Saturday.

Plymouth Metrolink buses heading west will follow the following detour on Friday afternoon:

Another closure downtown involves 4th Avenue South. The street will shut down at 7 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday between 8th and 9th Streets. An energy company will be installing new water lines for the new Vikings stadium.

Also near the Vikings stadium, a one-block segment of 4th Street between Portland and Park Avenues is closed. The closure will be in place until June, according to Minneapolis city officials.

Traffic will be detoured south on Portland Avenue to 6th Street, east on 6th to Park Avenue then north on Park back to 4th Street. The bike lane also will be closed.

Kellogg Boulevard in downtown St. Paul

Kellogg is closed between Market Street and Wabasha Street until November. Additionally, the southbound lanes on the Wabasha Bridge, and the northbound lanes of the Exchange Street viaduct will be shut down for the duration of the project.

During the closure, motorists will be directed to use 7th Street and Robert Street.

Minnehaha Avenue and 46th Street in Minneapolis

Here is the latest update from Hennepin County on this project:

Pavement removal between 44th Street and 43rd Street is anticipated to begin Monday. Parking restrictions will be in place during this work and advance notice signs will be installed.

I-94 in St. Michael

Motorists heading out of town for the weekend might encounter delays on I-94. The same is true on the return trip. MnDOT is repaving the freeway between Hwy. 241 in St. Michael and County Road 18 near Monticello. Nightly lane closures will be in place from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. while crews resurface nine miles of the roadway. Also be aware of a lane shift near the Crow River Bridge.

Snelling Avenue overpass at I-94 in St. Paul

Commuters have until the last minute on Sunday night before this closure takes effect. But when it does it will be in place for three months.