Reminder: Navigating Around DT Mpls. Will Be Tough With Weekend Closures
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A reminder for drivers: there will be more back-ups in and around downtown Minneapolis this weekend.
Starting at 10 o'clock Friday night, Interstate 35W will be closed again from Interstate 94 to the Crosstown. That stretch is scheduled to re-open by the Monday morning commute.
Also this weekend: buses will replace light rail trains in some areas due to track repairs starting at 6:15 p.m. Friday. Customers can board replacement buses near the affected stations. For a list of the affected stations, click here.
This past week saw plenty of frustration, as drivers adjusted to detours with major ramp closures in and around downtown.
The gridlock isn't limited to drivers, but buses, too. Metro Transit has reported delays between 10 and 30 minutes every day this week. But there's a special tool some traffic managers are using to help alleviate congestion.
Controllers are able to manually change the timing of the 800 traffic signals in the city to make green lights last a little longer.
One area of concern: Washington Avenue and 3rd Street downtown.
"I think it's a game of chess." said Minneapolis traffic engineer Allan Klugman. "Every move impacts another one. We are always trying to think ahead about what is the best way to balance the traffic flow."
The city used the same traffic management system during the ten days of the Super Bowl.
Some of these closures end later this year, in the fall. Others will continue until the fall of 2021.