4th of July weekend travel: Watch for traffic shifts, lane closures

If you’re hoping to spend your Fourth of July holiday north of the Twin Cities, getting there could be a little tricky.

A new traffic pattern went into place this week along Interstate 35W in Blaine. Drivers heading northbound between Lake Drive and Sunset Avenue have to choose between the right and left lane. Use the left lane to continue north through the work zone. If you need to exit off of I-35W, use the right lane.

The new configuration will stay in place until August as part of the larger I-35W MnPASS project between Roseville and Lino Lakes.

In better news, the Minnesota Department of Transportation says the lane closures that have been in place for weeks along I-35 near Harris will clear in time for the holiday weekend.

In Wadena, traffic on Highway 10 is sharing the eastbound side while the westbound lanes are reconstructed. The roadway is down to one lane in both directions through August.

South of the Twin Cities, Highway 61 is closed for a short stretch in Lake City. The detour takes drivers to County Road 5 Boulevard, 10th Street and Lakewood Avenue. The reconstruction project is in Stage 2 of 3 and will be complete by the end of summer 2020.

Heading back to the Twin Cities could be a little slow if you’re traveling on I-94 from Rogers to Maple Grove. If you’re heading eastbound and need to exit off of I-94, stay to the right. Use the left lane to travel straight through. The work is part of a larger project to add a lane between Clearwater and Maple Grove and will wrap up in the fall of 2021.

Learn more about work zones around the state that could impact your travel this weekend.