People trying to get between Minneapolis and St. Paul this weekend will have to find a means other than the Green Line.

Starting Friday night and running through Sunday, the Green Line will be closed in both directions between the Stadium Village and Union Depot stops.

Buses running along University Avenue and into downtown St. Paul will serve as a temporary replacement, and Metro Transit staff will be present on light rail platforms to shepherd riders to the bus.

Metro Transit Chief Operating Officer Brian Funk says crews will repair sections of track that were damaged over the winter.

“What we’re looking at is trying to fix some places where we had rail breaks over the winter,” Funk said. “What that means is that the rail on the light rail line is welded together, and when we have a lot of freezing and thawing, it can thaw apart.”

Those rail breaks have resulted in speed restrictions along the University Avenue corridor. Funk says he hopes this round of maintenance will keep the Green Line running smoothly through the summer.

“Taking care of this now, early in the season, really should provide a good assurance that we don’t have to have more interruptions throughout the year on this really important train line,” Funk said.

Funk said the western portion of the Green Line that’s still open this weekend will likely close in mid-July for similar repairs.

Meanwhile, Blue Line trains will operate at three-car capacity this weekend to accommodate fans traveling to and from this weekend’s Twins and Timberwolves games.

Visit Metro Transit’s website for the latest service updates.