Ahead Of Massive I-35W Overhaul, Commuters Urged To Rethink Route Downtown
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Call it the "Big Kahuna" of summer road construction projects: MnDOT's $240 million remake of the heavily traveled stretch of Interstate 35W south of downtown Minneapolis.
The four-year project will rebuild some 11 bridges, fix aging and crumbling ramps and continue diamond lanes into downtown.
"We're adding MN Pass lanes and putting in a transit hub," said MnDOT spokesman Dave Aeikens.
Beginning in June, 10 lanes of traffic on the freeway will shrink to only five. That means squeezing in 180,000 vehicles per day into half the lane space.
In addition, major ramps connecting Interstate 35W and downtown will close for a period of months.
"The downtown access at 5th and Grant and 11th street, that's going to be closed for four months," Aeikens said. "And going out at 4th and 12th, that's going to close for four months as well, even longer."
That's why MnDOT and transit experts want commuters and companies to consider alternatives. It means giving people information on expanded transit service as well as carpool options or working from home.
"You may want to change your route," says Mary Morse Marti, with MOVE Minneapolis.
MOVE Minneapolis is the city's commuter resource center located downtown on the corner of South 5th Street and Nicollet Mall.
The center is assisting downtown employers with telecommuting options as well as helping commuters pair up new car pools.
To incent commuters to ride share, some downtown ramps are offering monthly parking permits at one-fifth the cost.
Metro Transit and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority are adding more daily bus trips to their south metro service.
To avoid gridlock this summer it's a good idea to begin considering options now, from bike to bus, telecommuting or train.
For more information about transit options, click here and here.
