Twin Cities Metro area: Traveling in search of July 4 fireworks? Keep your cool in work zones.
ST. PAUL, Minn. – With holiday celebrations throughout the state and forecasts of warm weather over the July 4 weekend, the Minnesota Department of Transportation urges all motorists to slow down, plan ahead and “keep cool” while driving through work zones.
More than 200 projects will be underway on state roads this construction season. While most work will be suspended over the July 4 holiday, work zones will remain in place for many projects throughout the state. MnDOT recommends that motorists visit www.511mn.org to get information about road construction projects and traffic impacts before they head out, think about alternate routes and prepare for slower moving traffic.
Motorists should also be aware that the fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
Some of the highway projects in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro area that may affect weekend travel include:
- I-94 Maple Grove to Clearwater – WB I-94 motorists exiting to local roads in Maple Grove or Hwy 101 in Rogers must stay in the right two lanes of WB I-94 beginning in Maple Grove; the leftmost lane is a through-lane with no exits between Maple Grove and Rogers. See video on how to navigate WB I-94 Maple Grove to Rogers. Reduced speed limits and narrow, temporary lanes throughout project.
- I-35W Roseville to Lino Lakes – NB I-35W motorists exiting to local roads between CR C in Roseville and 95th Avenue in Blaine must stay in right lanes beginning in Roseville; the leftmost lane is a through-lane with no exits between Roseville and Blaine. Multiple ramps are closed. Reduced speed limits and narrow, temporary lanes throughout project.
- Hwy 12 Independence to Orono – Closed. Detour follows CR 6. Get Hwy 12 detour map. Visit project website.
- Hwy 61 Wyoming and Forest Lake – Both directions of Hwy 61 closed between I-35 in Wyoming and Hwy 8 in Forest Lake until July 19. Detour is I-35. Get Hwy 61 detour map .
- Hwy 316 in Hastings – Closed in both directions between Malcolm Ave. and Tuttle Dr. Get Hwy 316 detour map.
For a complete list of projects by highway or region, visit www.mndot.gov/roadwork/current.html.
Motorists can stay informed about projects and other transportation topics by connecting to MnDOT via social media, as well as by signing up for email updates for major projects at www.mndot.gov/emailupdates.
###