Multiple freeway closures planned in the Twin Cities this weekend
Updated: 1:15 p.m.
While the weather forecast for the Twin Cities for Saturday is calling for warmth and sunshine, the traffic forecast for the metro area this weekend isn't so pleasant.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation says portions of five major highways will be closed all weekend. Some of those closures had been slated to take place in April, but were delayed by poor weather conditions.
The closures — all of which start late Friday night and run through early Monday morning — include:
Interstate 494
A stretch of Interstate 494 will close in the south metro, between the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Interstate 35E.
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The eastbound lanes of I-494 will be closed from Highway 5 near the airport to I-35E. The westbound lanes will be closed from I-35E to Pilot Knob Road. Traffic will be detoured using I-35E and Highway 77.
The closure is part of ongoing resurfacing and bridge repair work along Highway 55 — including the Highway 55 bridge over I-494. A long-term closure of Highway 55 in Mendota Heights, Eagan and Inver Grove Heights remains in effect.
Interstate 35W
Southbound Interstate 35W will close in Minneapolis between Interstate 94 and Highway 62, the Crosstown. MnDOT says crews will be repairing concrete.
Traffic will be detoured using I-94, I-394, Highway 100 and Highway 62.
Interstate 94
Westbound Interstate 94 between Interstate 35E and Marion Street in downtown St. Paul will be closed as crews pour new concrete pavement. Traffic will be detoured using I-35E and Highways 36 and 280.
Eastbound I-94 will remain open through downtown St. Paul this weekend, but there are some lane closures due to ongoing road work in the area.
U.S. Highway 10
Two stretches of U.S. Highway 10 will close to traffic in both directions in the northwest metro — one of the closures is in Anoka, the other in Elk River.
Combined, they're expected to cause major traffic delays.
"When possible, motorists should consider a different highway route that doesn’t go through Anoka or Elk River, like I-94 if traveling east or west across Minnesota, or travel during off-peak hours," MnDOT reported.
Highway 10 will close between Highway 47 / Ferry Street and Seventh Avenue in Anoka, to allow crews to remove and replace utilities beneath the highway. It's part of a multi-year reconstruction project.
And to the northwest, Highway 10 will close at the interchange with Highways 101 and 169 in Elk River, so crews can remove a bridge.
State Highway 36
Eastbound Highway 36 between Edgerton Street in Little Canada and U.S. Highway 61 in Maplewood will close for resurfacing — with a closure of the westbound lanes planned for the following weekend.
And to the east — both directions of Highway 36 will be closed just west of Stillwater, as crews pour concrete for the Manning Avenue bridge over the highway. The eastbound lanes will be closed all weekend; the westbound lanes are slated to reopen by noon Saturday. Detours and more information can be found here.
Find road condition and construction updates for the entire state on MnDOT’s 511 page.