Football's return to downtown Minneapolis might have fans who attended games at the former Metrodome ready to revert to their old commuting routines, but the neighborhood — with its new name, East Town — around U.S. Bank Stadium has changed significantly over the past two years. Redevelopment has claimed several surface lots fans were familiar with, and streets have been reconfigured, introducing new traffic patterns.
While nearly a third of fans take public transportation to games — that's still a viable option — the Vikings and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority spent 10 months crafting a traffic management plan designed to get fans who drive to the 32,000 parking spaces in downtown lots and ramps with ease and have them leave the city by retracing their steps.
The plan divides downtown into four geography-based parking zones based on routes fans are most likely to take to the game. Fans coming from the south metro on Interstate 35W, for example, are encouraged to park on the south side of the stadium. Those coming from the north, east and west are encouraged to park in areas on the corresponding side of the stadium. Information on usbankstadium.com includes an interactive guide where fans can enter their ZIP code and find directions to the Red, Blue, Gold or Purple zone that corresponds to the route they are most likely to take.
Roads around the stadium are likely to get packed with the new layout of westbound 5th Street (it's down to a single westbound lane) and freeway traffic coming off eastbound I-94 being deposited on 7th Street. That means motorists using I-94, I-35W and Cedar Avenue will be converging in the same area. The goal to disperse parking into the four zones is to "mitigate cars from driving around the stadium looking for parking," team and stadium officials said.
Snagging a metered space is an option, too, but beware. Meters in a several-block radius of the stadium are marked as "Event Parking" and go for a $15 flat fee starting four hours before kickoff until one hour after the final gun sounds.
Parking away from U.S. Bank Stadium doesn't mean you'll have to hoof it. Light-rail and bus rides anywhere downtown are just 50 cents, and buses on 4th and 6th streets drop you at the stadium's front doors.
Tailgating is as much of the gameday experience as watching the team in action. This year, the Vikings contracted 600 to 700 spaces where fans can spread out and enjoy a pregame feast and beverage. Fans can buy season passes for those lots.
From the north and northwest
I-94 is an easy route into downtown Minneapolis. Take the 4th Street exit. There's an entry point into Ramp C or drivers can continue into downtown. A new 1,610-space ramp connected to the stadium by a skyway has opened at 4th Street and Chicago Avenue. Alternate entry points include Washington Avenue or 7th Street. From east of the Mississippi River, the natural route into town is I-35W to Washington Avenue. You might want to jump off on 4th Street and cross into to downtown via the 3rd Avenue Bridge or use Hennepin Avenue.
