Weekend traffic: I-35W ramp closures will make downtown Minneapolis access difficult

If downtown Minneapolis is your destination — and with a Vikings preseason game Saturday and Twins games all weekend, it will be for thousands — take note: Getting in and out will be tricky. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is shutting down a number of key ramps on I-35W, including the vital connections from southbound I-35W to westbound I-94 and multiple ramps from downtown to southbound I-35W.

Adding to the misery will be the closure of the ramp from westbound I-94 to westbound I-394 from Friday night to early Saturday afternoon.

With thousands of people heading to the Minnesota State Fair, expect heavy traffic on routes such as Hwy. 280, Hwy. 36, I-94 and on streets such as Larpenteur, Snelling and Como avenues near the fairgrounds.

Here are other places drivers will find possible traffic headaches due to weekend road construction:

1. I-35W: Ramps from southbound I-35W to 11th Avenue, westbound I-94 and eastbound Hwy. 55 will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Ramps from 3rd Street, 4th Street and Washington Avenue to southbound I-35W also closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Lane reductions in both directions from 43rd Street to I-94. Ramps closed from northbound I-35W to westbound I-94 and eastbound I-94 to southbound I-35W.

2. Hennepin Avenue and 8th Street: Hennepin is a single lane in each direction between 7th and 12th streets; 8th Street closed from Hennepin to S. 2nd Avenue.

3. I-94 in Oakdale and Woodbury: Alternating lane closures in both directions at I-694/I-494 junction. Ramps from westbound I-94 to southbound I-494 and southbound I-694 to eastbound I-94, which have been closed, expected to open by Saturday.

4. I-494 in South St. Paul and Newport: Westbound lane closures between Bailey Road and 7th Avenue.

5. I-494 from South St. Paul to Sunfish Lake: Westbound will be a single lane between Hardman Avenue and Hwy. 62.

6. Hwy. 95 in Denmark Township: Both directions closed between County Road 22 and Hwy. 61 until Sept. 2.

7. Hwy. 120/Century Avenue in Maplewood: Closed between 27th and 34th streets until Nov. 1.

8. I-35W from Roseville to Lino Lakes: Lane reductions in both directions between Hwy. 10 in Mounds View and County Road E2 in Arden Hills. Additional periodic lane closures between Hwy. 36 in Roseville and Sunset Avenue in Lino Lakes.

9. I-35W and I-35 in Columbus and Forest Lake: Northbound I-35W reduced to a single lane approaching the I-35W/I-35E split until fall. Lane closures in both directions from the split to Hwy. 8.

10. Bottineau Boulevard/County Road 81 in Brooklyn Park: Closed between N. 71st Avenue and Brooklyn Boulevard.

11. I-35W in Bloomington and Burnsville: Lane restrictions in both directions between 106th Street and Cliff Road.

12. Hwy. 3 in Inver Grove Heights: Closed from 60th Street to County Road 26 until Nov. 1.

13. Hwy. 13 in Prior Lake: Closed between Fairlawn Avenue and Marschall Road.

14. I-494 in Plymouth: Rockford Road bridge over I-494 closed.

15. Flying Cloud Drive in Eden Prairie: Closed between Hwy. 101 and Spring Road.

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768