Bridge Opening Impacts

The new I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge is two lanes wider than the former bridge.

Changes to access roads, lanes and ramps on I-35W and some alternate routes will go back to the way they were before the collapse in order to accommodate the shift in traffic.

Mn/DOT will be monitoring traffic volumes closely as drivers adjust their routes.

We expect to see the following:

• Traffic on I-35W will increase
• Traffic on Hwy 280 will decrease
• University Ave and 4th Street Traffic should decrease
• Traffic flow on downtown Minneapolis river crossings should improve:
  • 1st Avenue/Hennepin Avenue Bridge
  • 3rd Avenue/Central Avenue Bridge
  • 10th Avenue Bridge

The I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge opened to traffic at 5 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18

Check 511 for current road conditions, construction and traffic alerts.

Changes for I-35W

• The ramps from E. Hennepin to I-35W are OPEN.
• All ramps at SE 4th Street and University Avenue will be OPEN. (On and off ramps at 4th Street will both revert from two lanes to one lane.)
• The westbound left-turn lane on the Washington Avenue bridge will revert to an eastbound left-turn lane to northbound I-35W.
• West River Parkway under the new I-35W Bridge is open.
• No new access ramps to I-35W have been added with the new bridge construction.

Changes for Hwy 280

• The ramp from northbound Hwy 280 to Highway 36 and I-35W will revert back from two lanes to one lane.
• Access will remain CLOSED at this time for:
  • County Road B
  • Broadway Street N.E.
  • Walnut Street
  • Roselawn Avenue
• Access at Larpenteur and Hennepin Avenues will remain OPEN at this time.  (This interchange is scheduled for reconstruction in the Spring of 2009.)

Changes for I-94

• Westbound traffic from I-94 to I-35W south will merge into the I-35W right lane as it did prior to the collapse.