Weekend traffic: Holiday weekend could bring reprieve from traffic headaches

The long holiday weekend may help ease the traffic crunch in downtown Minneapolis, but drivers staying in town could still find congestion around myriad road construction zones elsewhere in the metro..

To that end, MnDOT is reminding motorists to slow down as workers will be on the job Saturday and Monday. Work zone speed limits are in effect even if workers are not present.

"We ask drivers to pay attention in work zones, plan ahead and perhaps consider alternate route," said transportation commissioner Charlie Zelle.

With July 4 being the second leading holiday for DWI arrests per hour, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, law enforcement will be looking for drunken drivers.

Light-rail service resumes Monday in downtown Minneapolis. On the sports scene, Twins games Monday at Target Field and Saints games Saturday and Sunday at CHS Field will draw traffic. The Loons have a Tuesday game at TCF Bank Stadium.

Interstate 94 in Minneapolis and St. Paul

1. I-94 from Minneapolis to Brooklyn Center: All vehicles over 9,000 pounds are prohibited from the Lowry Hill Tunnel which is reduced to two lanes in each direction with traffic sharing the eastbound lanes. The ramps from westbound 94 to westbound 394 and Hwy. 55 and from northbound I-35W to westbound I-94 are closed. Lane restrictions between I-35W and Hwy. 252/Shingle Creek Parkway.

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. The new configuration went into effect Thursday. Other lane and restrictions and ramp closures between Century Avenue and Mounds Boulevard.

Minneapolis

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

East Metro

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

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

North Metro

9. Hwy. 96 in White Bear Lake: Single lane between Centerville Road and White Bear Parkway.

10. I-35E in Vadnais Heights: Intermittent lane closures between County Road J and Hwy. 96.

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.

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. Ramp from southbound Hwy. 169 to Cedar Lake Road closed through July 10.

South Metro

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.