Three freeway closures planned in Twin Cities this weekend

Drivers in the Twin Cities will have to navigate around three freeway closures this weekend.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says closures will affect stretches of Interstates 94 and 35E in St. Paul, as well as I-694 in the north metro.

All of the freeway closures start at 10 p.m. Friday and run through 5 a.m. Monday.

The closures — and subsequent heavier traffic on designated detour routes — could cause traffic delays across the eastern and northern Twin Cities metro area through the weekend.

Interstates 35E and 94

Two of the closures are linked to ongoing repair work on bridges over the freeways in and near downtown St. Paul.

MnDOT says eastbound I-94 will be closed between Highway 280 and I-35E, with traffic being routed to Highway 36.

And northbound I-35E will be closed between Highway 5 / West Seventh Street and I-94. Thru-traffic will be detoured at I-494, and directed east to U.S. Highway 52.

Interstate 694

MnDOT says westbound I-694 will be closed between I-35W in New Brighton, and Shingle Creek Parkway in Brooklyn Center.

Ramps to and from westbound I-694 in that area will close starting at 8 p.m. Friday, followed by the full closure of the westbound lanes at 10 p.m. Traffic will be detoured to U.S. Highway 10 and State Highway 610.

Crews will be repairing bridges and pavement, cleaning and repairing storm drains, removing vegetation, replacing lights and removing graffiti.

MnDOT says a similar closure of the eastbound lanes is planned for early August.