20-mile segment of I-35E in east metro will be closed this weekend

Motorists who use northbound Interstate 35E between Little Canada and Columbus will be sent on a long detour this weekend. Southbound drivers will be affected next weekend.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will repair concrete along a 20-mile segment of I-35E between I-694 and the Forest Lake split where I-35E joins I-35W over the next two weekends, weather permitting, the agency said.

All northbound lanes will be shut down from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday and drivers will be rerouted along I-694 west to northbound I-35W.

Next weekend, all southbound lanes will be closed and drivers will be sent south on I-35W and east on I-694.

More than 84,000 drivers a day use the southern portion of I-35E that will be closed. On the north end, that drops to about 49,000 a day, according to the most recent MnDOT traffic counts.

The weather looks to be favorable for crews to conduct the work. The Twin Cities forecast calls for dry conditions Friday through Monday with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s Friday and Saturday and rising into the mid-70s by Monday.