Weekend traffic Oct. 5-6: Twin Cities Marathon takes over city streets, freeways open

There won't be any full closures of Twin Cities freeways this weekend, and that's a good thing.

Drivers will want to use Interstates 94, 35E and 35W to get around the Twin Cities Marathon, which on Sunday will shut down several downtown Minneapolis streets, plus roads near the State Capitol in St. Paul and several others in between the start and finish lines.

The racecourse that largely follows parkways and Summit Avenue includes closures where runners cross thoroughfares in both cities. There will be limited places for motorists to cross the course.

For drivers, the best option is to head for the freeways or major routes, such as Hiawatha Avenue. Most roads will open by midmorning, but others will remain closed until the race ends around 2:30 p.m.

A host of bus routes will also be detoured during the race, so check metrotransit.org for affected routes.

Here are some other places drivers could find delays due to ongoing construction:

1. I-35W: 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. The ramp from southbound I-35W to westbound I-94 will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. The ramps from northbound I-35W and westbound Hwy. 55 to 3rd Street/Washington Avenue will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

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

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

4. I-35W from Roseville to Lino Lakes: Lane reductions in both directions between Hwy. 36 in Roseville and Sunset Avenue in Lino Lakes.

5. Interstates 35W, 35E and 35 in Columbus and Forest Lake: Lane closures in both directions on I-35 between the split and Hwy. 8. Southbound I-35 reduced to two lanes from Hwy. 97 to the I-35W/35E split, and I-35W and I-35E reduced to a single lane south of the split. Northbound I-35W reduced to a single lane approaching the I-35W/I-35E split.

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

7. I-94 in Rogers and Maple Grove: Lane closures in both directions between Hwy. 241 and I-494 from 7 p.m. Friday to noon Saturday and resuming at 7 p.m. Sunday.

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

9. Hwy. 3 in Inver Grove Heights: Closed between 60th Street and County Road 26 until Nov. 1.

10. Hwy. 13 in Prior Lake: Closed between Panama Avenue and Franklin Trail.

11. I-494 at Rockford Road in Plymouth: Narrow lanes on I-494; Rockford Road bridge over I-494 closed.

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

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768