Crosstown closes for the weekend today

Crosstown Highway
The Crosstown/I-35W interchange is in the middle of a multi-year rehab project. As part of that, all lanes of the Crosstown (Hwy. 62) will be closed this weekend.
MPR photo/Tom Weber

Drivers will have to detour around one of the state's biggest road construction projects this weekend. The Crosstown freeway is closing at 9:00 a.m. today.

Today's closure is the latest in a series of detours as crews rebuild what has been one of Minnesota's worst traffic tie ups.

Highway 62 will be closed between Interstate 35W to the east and Penn avenue to the west.

State officials are suggesting two detours.

Drivers heading east will be directed south on Highway 100 to I-494 and then north on Highway 77. Drivers heading west will be directed south down I-35W, then west on I-494 and north on Highway 100.

I-35W will remain open during the project.

Previous closures have happened after the Friday evening rush hour, but crews need the extra 12 hours to install a storm sewer under the road. The closure ends at 5:00 a.m. Monday.