Major delays on I-35 and I-694 this weekend

If you're traveling north on Interstate 35 to Duluth Friday, expect new delays today starting about 10 miles southwest of the city.

Motorists can also expect major delays around the Interstate 694 project in the northern Twin Cities suburbs.

Crews are resurfacing the stretch of I-35 from Scanlon, just south of Cloquet, to Boundary Avenue in Proctor. That's the top of the hill before the Interstate descends into Duluth.

The project has been going on since last year, and has restricted traffic to one lane going both directions.

The addition of traffic from Grandma's Marathon this weekend is likely to make for additional more delays getting into the city. Marathon organizers expect as many as 60,000 visitors to the event. MnDOT suggests allowing extra travel time or going through the area early or late to avoid peak traffic times.

In Duluth, motorists will also find another major thoroughfare under construction. The Blatnik Bridge is in the second year of a major reconstruction project and is restricted to one lane in each direction between Duluth and Superior.

Look for a major road closure this weekend in the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities.

TWIN CITIES ROAD CLOSINGS

MnDOT is closing parts of two of the Twin Cities busiest highways this weekend. Westbound Interstate 94 will close entirely where it intersects with Interstate 694 in Brooklyn Center starting at 10 p.m.

And state Highway 252, the major artery that runs along the Mississippi River in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park, will also close in both directions at Interstate 694.

Crews are removing bridge decks on I-694. That's part of the reconstruction of that road expected to last through November. More full closures of roads in the area are scheduled later this summer.

This weekend's closures will start with lane restrictions at 7 o'clock tonight. Detours will be posted. The roads are expected to reopen by 5 a.m. on Monday.