Upcoming public events
There are several upcoming events where 35W@94 project staff will be available to talk more about this project. For more details visit the 35W@94 Meetings Page.
Traffic impacts
Click map for larger PDF version.
Learn more about this project, including project staging, and how to move through the project area, including how to do the zipper merge.
Current
For a list of upcoming traffic impacts, see the Upcoming section.
Road closures
10 p.m. Wed, May 23 to 5 a.m. Thu, May 24
- Closure of the access out of downtown (from 12th St./4th Ave.) to SB I-35W
May 7 through mid-June 2018
- 4th Ave. is closed between 12th St. and 14th St.
Bridge closures
March 2 through early August 2018
- 38th St. bridge is closed over I-35W
- EB Detour: Nicollet Ave. to 36th St. to 3rd Ave. S
- WB Detour: 3rd Ave. S to 35th St. to Nicollet Ave.
- Bicycle Detour: 1st Ave. S (NB)/Blaisdell Ave. (SB) to 40th St. pedestrian bridge to 3rd Ave. S
- Pedestrian Detour: 1st Ave. S to 40th St. pedestrian bridge to 3rd Ave. S
- View map for all 38th St. bridge detours (PDF)
Sept. 18, 2017 through mid-June 2018
- The Franklin Ave. bridge is closed over I-35W
- WB Detour: Portland Ave. to 26th St. to 3rd Ave.
- EB Detour: Nicollet Ave. to 28th St. to Park Ave.
- Pedestrian Detour: Use 24th St. pedestrian bridge
- View map for all Franklin Ave. bridge detours (PDF)
Lane closures
April 13 through mid-June 2018
- The left lane on NB I-35W is closed from 26th St. into downtown Minneapolis
Ramp closures
10 p.m. Wed, May 23 to 5 a.m. Thu, May 24
- Overnight closure of EB I-94 to SB I-35W
- Detour: NB I-394 to WB Hwy 100 to SB Hwy 62
May 18, 2018 through fall 2021
- NB I-35W to WB I-94 is closed
- Detour: WB I-694
- Note: There are a number of reasons this ramp is closed through fall 2021:
- This ramp is being fully reconstructed. Once complete, motorists will no longer merge on the right side of WB I-94; instead, motorists will merge on the left side and will have a dedicated lane through the Lowry Tunnel, helping to reduce congestion. The Lyndale Ave./Hennepin Ave. exit will still be accessible from WB I-94.
- Prior to the reconstruction of the ramp, there are additional construction activities in the I-35W/I-94 junction that need to happen and will be in full swing starting in mid-June 2018. Highway lanes will be reduced and shifted at various times and construction of the new ramp piers would not allow traffic to be safely switched around.
May 7 through mid-June 2018
- 12th St to SB I-35W is closed to single occupancy vehicles
April 23 to mid-June 2018
- WB I-94 to 11th St. is closed
March 2, 2018 through fall 2021
- 36th St. to SB I-35W is closed
Note: There are a number of reasons this ramp is closed through fall 2021:- During the 38th St. bridge reconstruction, there is not enough room for vehicles to safely merge from the ramp onto southbound I-35W
- Once I-35W highway reconstruction work begins this summer, the number of southbound lanes will be reduced and shifted at various times while crews work for the three years after the 38th St. bridge reopens. This will make it difficult for vehicles entering from 36th St. to safely merge onto southbound I-35W.
Aug. 24, 2017 through fall 2021
- 5th Ave. S to NB I-35W is closed
Aug. 24, 2017 through 2018
- 5th Ave. S to EB I-94 is closed
Local street impacts
May 2018 to fall 2018 (tentatively)
- Park Ave. and Portland Ave. will have temporary restriping and a transit lane
- Note: The restriping of Park Ave. and Portland Ave. (between downtown and Lake St.) to add a temporary transit lane was chosen to help reduce impacts and maintain a transit advantage for transit while the 35W@94 project is underway. This new striping is temporary; it will remain in place through fall 2018, at which point Metro Transit, MnDOT and the City of Minneapolis will assess if the transit operators are comfortable that they can again provide reliable service on I-35W. Restriping is also weather/temperature dependent, so it may need to wait until spring 2019 if the decision to move back to the permanent striping is made when it is cold out.
May 17 to mid-August 2018
- Stevens Ave. is closed between 38th St. and 39th St.
March 2 to early August 2018
- Intersections of Stevens Ave. and Second Ave. S are closed between 37th St. and 38th St.
- Note: Residents will be able to access Stevens Ave. and 2nd Ave. S from 37th St. or 39th St. During the closure, two-way traffic on Stevens Ave. between 37th St. and 38th St. will be allowed. Access Routes map (PDF).
Upcoming
Details about upcoming traffic impacts will be provided as they become available.
Road closures
10 p.m. Fri, June 1 to 5 a.m. Mon, June 4
- I-35W will be closed between I-94 and Hwy 62
- Detour: Hwy 62, Hwy 100 and I-394
10 p.m. Mon, June 4 to 5 a.m. Tue, June 5
- Overnight closure of I-35W between I-94 and Hwy 62
- Detour: Hwy 62, Hwy 100 and I-394
10 p.m. Fri, June 8 to 5 a.m. Mon, June 11
- I-94 will be closed between I-394 and I-35W
- WB I-94 Detour from I-94: NB Hwy 280 to NB I-35W to WB I-694
- WB I-94 Detour from SB I-35W: SB I-35W to WB Hwy 62 to NB Hwy 100 to EB I-694 to East River Road loops
- WB I-94 Detour from NB I-35W: NB I-35W to WB I-694
- EB I-94 Detour from I-94: WB I-394 to NB Hwy 100 to EB I-694 to SB I-35W to SB Hwy 280
- EB I-94 Detour from I-694: SB I-35W to SB Hwy 280
- EB I-94 Detour from I-394: NB Hwy 100 to EB I-694 to SB I-35W to SB Hwy 280
10 p.m. Fri, June 15 to 5 a.m. Mon, June 18
- I-35W will be closed between I-94 and Hwy 62
- Detour: Hwy 62, Hwy 100 and I-394
Lane closures
Fri, June 15 through fall 2018
- WB I-94 from Portland Ave. to Stevens Ave. reduced to two lanes
Fri, June 15, 2018 through fall 2021
- NB I-35W from 43rd St. to downtown Minneapolis reduced to three lanes
- Note: one northbound I-35W lane will be a MnPASS lane
- SB I-35W from downtown Minneapolis to 43rd St. reduced to two lanes
Ramp closures
Some of the ramp closures listed below are multi-year closures. This is needed to allow motorists to safely travel through the project area during the reconstruction of I-35W. The number of lanes will be reduced and shifted at various times which makes ramp access to/from I-35W difficult for vehicles.
10 p.m. Tue, June 5 to 5 a.m. Wed, June 6
- Overnight closure of EB I-94 to SB I-35W
- Detour: NB I-394 to WB Hwy 100 to SB Hwy 62
- Overnight closure of the access out of downtown (from 12th St./4th Ave.) to SB I-35W
- Overnight closure of the access to downtown from NB I-35W to 11th St./5th Ave. S/E. Grant St.
Fri, June 8 through fall 2018
- Access to downtown will be closed from NB I-35W to 11th St/5th Ave. S/E. Grant St.
- Detour: 3rd St. (exit 17C)
- Note: When access into downtown reopens from NB I-35W, there will only be one northbound lane available to allow for ongoing construction in the area. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes or use transit to travel in/out of downtown.
- NB I-35W to 31st St/Lake St will be closed to traffic, but remain open to buses
- Detour: 36th St. to 3rd Ave.
Fri, June 8, 2018 through fall 2021
- Access out of downtown will be closed from 12th St./4th Ave. to SB I-35W
- Detour: 3rd Ave. in downtown to 4th St.
- Note: In fall 2018, access out of downtown to SB I-35W will reopen only to buses; it will remain closed for all other vehicles for the duration of the project. The long-term closure is needed to allow ongoing construction in the area and to maintain effective transit operations on the limited number of available lanes on southbound I-35W. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes or use transit to travel in/out of downtown.
- 31st St. to SB I-35W will be closed to traffic, but remain open to buses
- Detour: Nicollet Ave. to 46th St.
Fri, June 15, 2018 through fall 2020
- SB I-35W to 35th St. will be closed
- Detour: Continue on I-35W and take the 46th St. exit to Nicollet Ave.
Fri, June 15, 2018 through fall 2021
- 35th St to NB I-35W will be closed
- Detour: Nicollet Ave. to E. Diamond Lake Rd.
Bridge Closures
Fri, June 1 through early November 2018
- 26th St. bridge will close over I-35W
- Traffic detour: Portland Ave. to Lake St. to 1st Ave.
- Pedestrian detour: 5th Ave. to 28th St. to 3rd Ave.
- View Detour Map (PDF)
Fri, June 1, 2018 through fall 2021
- 24th St. pedestrian bridge will close over I-35W
- Pedestrian detour: 5th Ave. to 28th St. to 3rd Ave.
About this project
Click map for larger PDF version.
Summary of work
Work on 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown will include:
- Converting NB I-35W Priced Dynamic Shoulder Lane between 46th St. and 26th St. to a permanent MnPASS Lane
- Constructing a new MnPASS lane on SB I-35W from 26th St. to 46th St.
- Constructing Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit Station at Lake St.
- Improving access from I-35W to the Lake Street Business District by constructing two new exit ramps (NB I-35W to 28th St. and SB I-35W to Lake St.
- Upgrading accessibility by improving pedestrian accommodations with pedestrian curb ramps and sidewalk upgrades.
- Rehabilitating pavement and bridges on I-35W from 46th St. to 11th Ave., Hwy 65 from 26th St. to 15th St., and I-94 from Nicollet Ave. to Park Ave.
- Constructing new and rehabilitating existing noise barriers throughout the project limits.
Project schedule and staging
The 35W@94 Downtown to Crosstown project will be done in five stages. Learn more about the stages and anticipated schedule.
Video
35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown Project Visualization
Watch this video to visualize the completed reconstruction of I-35W from 46th St. to I-94, including the construction of an On-line Transit Station located on I-35W at Lake St.
Do the Zipper Merge
Zipper Merge Logo.
Click for Zipper Merge Video.
When you encounter a construction zone where a lane will be closed, perform the zipper merge. A zipper merge occurs when motorists use both lanes of traffic until reaching the defined merge area, and then alternate in a "zipper" fashion into the open lane.