News Release

Emergency Repair Work Planned for Interstate 35W
Between Roseville and Blaine

Roseville, Minn.— Emergency resurfacing will begin at 8 p.m. Monday evening, April 29,
on Interstate 35W between Highway 36 in Roseville and Lake Drive (Anoka County Road 23) in Blaine. Motorists should expect major congestion and delays during the project. Crews will work around the clock, seven days a week until the resurfacing of all driving lanes and ramps is completed. The emergency work is necessary to correct problems with a crack sealant that failed last Thursday afternoon, April 18, in the northbound lanes of I-35W between County Road 88 and Hwy. 96 in Arden Hills.

The sealant failed when it became soft in the afternoon heat and humidity causing it to stick to the tires of passing vehicles. The material was placed in the roadway late last fall during a routine crack-sealing maintenance operation. Hot temperatures and rain during the past week apparently triggered the failure, according to Mn/DOT Metro Division Maintenance officials.

Resurfacing will begin on the northbound lanes with milling of the roadway surface. While crews are working on the south end of the project area between Hwy. 36 and I-694, traffic will be restricted to a single lane from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily including weekends (except during rush hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday). The interstate will then be closed each night from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning between Hwy. 36 and I-694. Traffic will detour on Snelling Avenue (Highway 51) and I-694.

As work moves north of I-694 to Lake Drive, traffic will be restricted to a single lane in each direction 24 hours a day, seven days a week except during the afternoon rush hour between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

After the roadway surface is removed from the northbound lanes, work will start on the southbound lanes with a single lane in each direction 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except during morning rush hour from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. There may be work on both sides of the interstate at the same time during the project while crews pave the northbound lanes and mill the southbound lanes.

Toward the end of the project as work moves south of I-694 on the southbound lanes of the interstate, the roadway will again be closed and detoured along Snelling Ave. each night from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning between I-694 and Hwy. 36.

Motorists may encounter single lane traffic throughout the weekends on whichever side of the interstate is being worked on. Alternate routes are advised to avoid congestion.
Weather permitting, resurfacing should be completed by mid-May.

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Contact:
Kent Barnard
(651) 582-1364
(612) 640-4142 pager

Metro Division
1500 County Road B2 West
Roseville, MN 55113
Office Tel: 612/582-1000