Memorial Day Weekend Road Construction Guide For Twin Cities Drivers

TWIN CITIES, MN — Memorial Day weekend drivers should plan around several major construction zones across the Twin Cities metro, including work on I-494, I-394, I-94, I-35W, Highway 12, Highway 10 and East 7th Street/Arcade Street.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says traffic impacts are tentative and weather dependent.

Some MnDOT project pages also are not updated over the weekend or overnight, so drivers should check 511mn.org before leaving.

Here are some of the main metro construction zones to know about as of Friday, May 22:

I-494: Edina, Bloomington And Richfield

Drivers should expect ongoing construction impacts on I-494 between East Bush Lake Road in Edina and 12th Avenue North in Richfield.

MnDOT says the following closures and restrictions are in place:

• West 78th Street is closed in both directions between Computer Avenue and Johnson Avenue through June.
• West 78th Street north of I-494 is closed between Nicollet Avenue and Pillsbury Avenue through fall.
• Nicollet Avenue is closed between American Boulevard and 82nd Street through June.
• Eastbound American Boulevard is closed between Highway 100 and France Avenue through Monday, May 25.
• 12th Avenue is closed between East 77th Street and American Boulevard through September.
• Penn Avenue is reduced to one lane in both directions between American Boulevard and 84th Street through June 26.
• Drivers should expect intermittent lane closures on I-494 between East Bush Lake Road and 12th Avenue North through November.
• Drivers should expect intermittent lane closures on I-35W between 82nd Street and 76th Street through November.

Several ramps near I-494 also are closed as part of the project.

I-394 And I-94: Minneapolis

Drivers heading into or out of downtown Minneapolis should expect construction impacts on I-394 and I-94.

MnDOT says:

• The Penn Avenue bridge over I-394 is closed through November.
• I-94 is reduced to two lanes in both directions between the Lowry Hill Tunnel and Highway 55 through summer.
• Westbound I-394 is reduced to two lanes between downtown Minneapolis and Highway 100 through mid-summer.
• Downtown Minneapolis traffic entering westbound I-394 is reduced to one lane through November.
• Eastbound I-394 is reduced to one lane near the 12th Street exit through November.
• Drivers should expect intermittent lane closures on I-394 in both directions between downtown Minneapolis and Highway 100.
• Drivers should expect intermittent lane closures on I-94 in both directions between the Lowry Hill Tunnel and Highway 55.

MnDOT also lists several ramp closures in the area, including:

• The ramp from eastbound I-394 to 12th Street is closed through 5 p.m. Friday, May 29.
• The ramp from eastbound I-94 to westbound I-394 is closed through mid-summer.
• The Lyndale Avenue ramp to westbound I-394 is closed through mid-summer.
• The ramp from Linden Avenue to westbound I-394 is closed through November.
• The ramp from westbound I-94 to Highway 55 is scheduled to close from 5 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, through early June.

MnDOT says the I-394 construction project will result in delays and suggests carpooling or using transit when possible.

I-35W: Burnsville

South metro drivers should watch for slowdowns around I-35W in Burnsville.

MnDOT says:

• Cliff Road under I-35W is closed through October.
• I-35W is reduced to two lanes in both directions between Cliff Road and the I-35/I-35E/I-35W split through fall.
• Highway 13 is reduced to one lane in both directions, with head-to-head traffic over I-35W through fall.
• Northbound I-35W is reduced to two lanes between the I-35/I-35E/I-35W split and Burnsville Parkway through fall.
• The ramp from northbound I-35W to Cliff Road is closed through October.
• The ramp from eastbound Highway 13 to northbound I-35W is closed through fall.
• The ramp from southbound I-35W to eastbound Highway 13 is closed through fall.
• The ramp from Cliff Road to southbound I-35W is closed through fall.

Highway 12: Wayzata, Plymouth And Minnetonka

West metro drivers should plan for ongoing lane and ramp closures on Highway 12 between Wayzata and Minnetonka.

MnDOT says:

• Highway 12 is reduced to two lanes in both directions between Gleason Lake Road and I-494 through November.
• Drivers should expect intermittent overnight lane closures on Highway 12 in both directions between Shoreline Drive and I-494.
• Highway 12 will alternate directions reduced to one lane between Shoreline Drive and Gleason Lake Road.
• The westbound Highway 12 ramp to Shoreline Drive is closed through mid-summer.
• The westbound Highway 12 ramp to Central Avenue is closed through mid-summer.
• The Central Avenue ramp to westbound Highway 12 is closed through mid-summer.

Highway 10: Coon Rapids

North metro drivers should watch for possible short-term ramp closures on Highway 10 in Coon Rapids.

MnDOT says short-term ramp closures are expected along Highway 10 between Hanson Boulevard and Round Lake Boulevard through May.

The project is adding a third lane in each direction between Hanson Boulevard and Round Lake Boulevard.

East 7th Street And Arcade Street: St. Paul And Maplewood

Drivers on the east side of St. Paul should watch for closures and lane reductions near East 7th Street and Arcade Street.

MnDOT says:

• Eastbound Minnehaha Avenue is closed between Payne Avenue and East 7th Street through 9 p.m. Friday, May 29.
• Arcade Street is closed in both directions between Neid Lane and Margaret Street through late summer.
• East 7th Street is reduced to one lane in both directions between Arcade Street and Mounds Boulevard through late October.
• East 7th Street is scheduled to close between Mounds Boulevard and Minnehaha Avenue from Friday, May 29, through Monday, June 1.

MnDOT says local access to residences and businesses will be maintained.

What Drivers Should Do

Drivers should check 511mn.org before leaving for real-time road conditions, closures and detours.

MnDOT says all traffic impacts are tentative and weather dependent.