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Weekend traffic: Halloween events and another Hwy. 100 closure

The Halloween weekend doesn't serve up anything too sinister for travelers, except for another closure of Hwy. 100 through St. Louis Park and Edina.

By Tim Harlow

October 30, 2015 at 4:35PM

The Halloween weekend doesn't serve up anything too sinister for travelers, except for another closure of Hwy. 100 through St. Louis Park and Edina.

The Gopher football team is in action against Michigan at TCF Bank Stadium at 6 p.m. Saturday. A full house is expected for the game as the team tries for its first home win over the Wolverines since 1977. Look for extra traffic on I-35W and I-94 about two hours before kickoff. Roads leading to the University of Minnesota campus will be busy, too.

The Wild take on Chicago at the Xcel Energy Center at 7 p.m. Friday so look for extra vehicles in downtown St. Paul.

The weekend's big closure is on Hwy. 100 between I-394 and the Crosstown. Both directions will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

In case you missed the news, MnDOT has opened the ramp from westbound I-94/694 to southbound I-494 in Maple Grove. And in a traffic switch, southbound I-494 traffic between I-694/94 and Hwy. 55 has been shifted to the newly constructed lanes of southbound I-494. That section of I-494 will have two lanes open while crews continue working on the freeway.

Here are other places you will find cones and detours:

Hwy. 7 over Hwy. 100 and between Woodale and Beltline avenues is closed until next fall. The new Minnetonka Blvd. bridge opened two weeks ago and using Excelsior Blvd and Louisiana Ave is the recommended detour.

The County Road 96 bridge over I-35W closed Wednesday and will remain closed for the next couple of weeks.

Hwy. 10 in Ramsey: Delays near Armstrong Boulevard continue. Armstrong Boulevard is closed north of Hwy 10.

Hwy. 13 between Mendota and Lilydale: Closed between Second Street and Lexington Avenue. The detour is via Hwy. 110 and I-35E.

I-35E in Vadnais Heights: Both directions have overnight lane restrictions between I-694 and County Road 96.

Hwy. 169 in Jordan: Single lane between Hwys. 21 and 282 with a speed limit of 45 mph.

The ramp from southbound I-35E to southbound Hwy. 52 and eastbound I-94 is closed through early November.

The ramp from southbound I-35E to the10th /Wacouta Streets closed Saturday from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. Detour is to take southbound I-35E to westbound I-94 to Marion Street to Kellogg Blvd to 7th Street. Also be on alert for some ramp and lane closures on I-35E in St. Paul and Little Canada.

As far as neighborhood streets are concerned, drivers need to be on the lookout for pedestrians. Halloween is one of the most deadly nights for those on foot, according to AAA. To that end, the automobile club has these tips for drivers:

  • Avoid neighborhood shortcuts. If possible, avoid cutting through residential streets where trick-or-treaters are likely to be present. When providing directions to a party, try not to route guests through neighborhoods unnecessarily.
    • Watch for children in the street. Watch for children walking on streets, medians and curbs. Excited trick-or-treaters, often in dark costumes, may not pay attention to traffic and cross mid-block or between parked cars.
      • Slow down. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian is more than twice as likely to be killed if they're hit by a car traveling at 35 mph compared to 25 mph. What seems like a small difference—just 10 mph—can be the difference between life and death
        • Drive sober. Alcohol-impaired drivers make up about one-third of all motor vehicle deaths resulting in an average of one death every 45 minutes. Always designate a sober driver if you plan to drink.
          about the writer

          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.

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