Plenty Of Closures On Twin Cities Highways This Pre-Holiday Weekend

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- This weekend the season of orange construction barrells will be in full swing. Crews will be busy improving area roadways, which means you'll need to find some new ways to get around town.

If you take road construction and closures and add it to the weekend before a major summer holiday, you get traffic headaches for anyone trying to maneuver around the Twin Cities. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is asking for your patience as crews work around the clock to improve area roads.

No matter how well you know your way around, detours, and disruptions will challenge the most knowledgeable driver. So plan ahead, and be ready for weekend closures.

Interstate 35W will shut down in both directions from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday between Highway 62 and Interstate 94. Crews are working to demolish the bridge over Lake Street on 35W, to replace the bridge with a transit station and ramps leading down into the business district.

Lake Street will also be closed between First and Third Avenues.

Westbound lanes on I-94 will shut down Friday night at 10 p.m., to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday. Both closures will make it tough for people hoping to take in a Minnesota United match at Allianz Field.

You should also expect delays if you plan on hitting Rock the Garden in Minneapolis or the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, where Jennifer Lopez will sing and dance for her fans.

If you plan on using transit, keep this in mind. Trains will not run in downtown Minneapolis from 6:30 p.m. Friday until 3:30 a.m. Monday. Buses will fill in for Blue line trains between Franklin Avenue and Target Field stations and for Green Line trains between Stadium Village and Target Field Station.

Head to 511mn.org for the latest road conditions.