Minnesota Walleye Fishing Opener 2017 Traffic Guide

SAINT PAUL, MN — The Minnesota walleye fishing opener this weekend will bring out anglers from around the state, increasing car, truck and boat trailer traffic on the state’s highways. The Minnesota Department of Transportation urges motorists to plan ahead and use extra care while driving through highway work zones.
Motorists may encounter bypasses, lane closures and detours resulting from the more than 200 transportation projects that are underway this construction season. MnDOT recommends that motorists be prepared for slower moving traffic, think about alternate routes, and call 5-1-1 or go to www.511mn.org to get information about road construction detours.

Highway projects that may affect weekend travel May 12-14 include:

Twin Cities

• Interstate 94 between St. Paul and Woodbury – intermittent lane closures and ramp closures
• I-94 between Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center – lane closures and slow traffic
• Eastbound I-94 at Highway 610 Maple Grove – closed 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday
• Highway 169 Golden Valley to Edina – detour
• I-694 between Arden Hills and Vadnais Heights – two lanes in each direction, eastbound lanes separated by concrete median barrier

Central Minnesota

• Westbound I-94 in St. Augusta – reduced to single lane until 10 a.m. Friday.
• Highway 25 Foley – detour
• Highway 71 closed in Elrosa – detour
• Highway 238 south of Upsala – detour

Northern Minnesota

• I-35 Pine County – all northbound lanes open by 1 p.m. Friday, southbound open by 7 p.m. Saturday
• Highway 53 relocation project in Virginia – single lane in each direction
• Highway 10 in Detroit Lakes – lane closures

West central Minnesota

• Highway 4 Cosmos – detour
• Highway 22 Litchfield – detour

Southern Minnesota

• I-35 bridge replacements south of Owatonna – single lane in each direction
• I-90 between Sherburn and Fairmont – lane and speed restrictions
• Highway 22 Mapleton to Blue Earth CR 15 – detour
• Highway 52 between Rochester and Rosemount – lane closures

There will be heavier traffic in the St. Cloud area as the annual governor’s fishing opener will occur on the Mississippi River in the area, according to a news release. MnDOT urges motorists to be attentive, drive with caution, slow down in work zones and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.

Work zones

• Work zones are wherever you see workers, flaggers and surveyors in bright yellow-green or orange vests.
• Work zones are marked with orange cones or barrels, concrete barriers, traffic control devices or moving vehicles with flashers.
• Work zones operate day and night.

Image via Minnesota Department of Transportation