Weekend traffic: Portion of I-35E in east metro to shut down for two straight weekends

Minneapolis drivers get a reprieve from freeway closures, but east metro drivers will be put on detour as the Minnesota Department of Transportation closes a portion of I-35E this weekend and next.

The agency will close the northbound lanes of I-35E between Vadnais Heights and the I-35W/I-35E split in Columbus from Friday night to Monday morning. MnDOT will be repairing contraction joints that allow the pavement to expand and contract with the rise and fall of temperatures. The work will help prevent concrete deterioration and future potholes, said spokesman Kent Barnard.

Next weekend, the work will shift to the southbound lanes.

Drivers won't find closures on I-35W in south Minneapolis as there have been the past two weekends, which should make it easier for fans heading to Sunday's Vikings-Packers game at U.S. Bank Stadium or Saturday's Gophers-Michigan State football game at TCF Bank Stadium.

Look out for all those zombies roaming throughout downtown Minneapolis Saturday. It's the annual Zombie Pub Crawl. A few Metro Transit routes will be rerouted starting at 9 p.m. Saturday until early Sunday.

In St. Paul, an art crawl Friday through Sunday and a Wild hockey game Saturday night at the X could generate extra traffic.

Here are places you may run into road construction this weekend:

1. I-94 from St. Paul to Maplewood: This project is largely complete, but drivers will could encounter periodic lane closures. The westbound I-94 ramp to 12th Street is closed through Oct. 20. The ramp from northbound Hwy. 61 to eastbound I-94 remains closed.

Minneapolis

2. Cedar and Portland avenues: Closed between 28th and Lake streets for bridge construction. The Portland Avenue bridge over I-94 is closed until late November. Detour is via Chicago Avenue.

3. 5th Avenue S.: The ramps to northbound I- 35W and eastbound I-94 are closed. Fifth Avenue is closed between Franklin Avenue and E.19th Street.

4. Franklin Avenue S: The bridge over I-35W is closed until spring 2018.

East Metro

6. I-35E from White Bear Lake to Forest Lake: The northbound lanes will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday from I-694 to the I-35W/35E split. The southbound lanes will be closed next weekend. The official detour is west on I-694 to north I-35W. If concrete repair work is completed sooner than planned, the interstate will reopen earlier, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said.

7. Hwy. 5 in St. Paul: Both directions at Payne Avenue reduced to two lanes. Payne Avenue is closed between E. 7th Street and Woodward Avenue.

8. Hwy. 149/Smith Avenue in St. Paul: The High Bridge is closed until December 2018.

North Metro
9. I- 694 in Shoreview: Lane and ramp closures between Hwy. 10 and Rice Street.