I-35W weekend closures on tap for early March in Minneapolis

Call it the unofficial kickoff of the Twin Cities weekend road hassles season. The Minnesota Department of Transportation says it needs to close stretches of Interstate 35W in Minneapolis in early March.

The closures are part of MnDOT's Downtown to Crosstown project and will include a full weekend closure of Interstate 35W, the five-month closure of the 38th Street bridge and the long-term closure of the 36th Street ramp to southbound I-35W.

Here's a look at some of what to prepare for:

I-35W full weekend closure

• Reconstruction of the 38th Street bridge starts March 2. Crews will begin demolition of the bridge, which requires a full weekend closure of I-35W in both directions. The weekend closure is from 10 p.m. on March 2 to 5 a.m. on March 5.

• Northbound I-35W will close from Minnesota Highway 62 to Interstate 94 and southbound will close from I-94 to 46th Street. Crews will work around the clock during the weekend closure. Drivers will detour to Interstate 394, Minnesota Highway 100 and Highway 62.

38th Street bridge closes March 2

• The 38th Street bridge is scheduled to close at 6 a.m., March 2. The bridge will remain closed to motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists through early August.

Additional closures beginning week of March 5

As crews continue to make progress on the Franklin Avenue bridge, some night road and lane closures will happen so crews can set beams.

The following closures are scheduled to begin the week of March 5 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily:

• March 5 and March 6, overnight closure of the access out of downtown (from 12th Street/Fourth Avenue) to southbound I-35W, and the ramp from eastbound I-94 to southbound I-35W.

• March 9, an overnight closure of northbound I-35W between Highway 62 and I-94.