With July 4 falling on a long weekend and holiday celebrations throughout the state, the Minnesota Department of Transportation urges Independence Day weekend travelers to plan ahead, expect delays and enjoy a safe, steady pace by driving the speed limit – particularly while driving through work zones.
More than 200 projects will be underway on state roads this construction season. While most work will be suspended over the July 4 holiday, work zones will remain in place for many projects. MnDOT recommends that motorists check 511mn.org and plan their routes before they go. When approaching work zones, motorists should expect quickly changing road conditions, reduced speed limits, slower traffic, narrow lanes, lane shifts, detours, and delays as they travel through work zones throughout the state.
Motorists should also be aware that the fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
Some of the highway projects around the state likely to affect weekend travel include:
Northern Minnesota
- I-535/Blatnik Bridge in Duluth – Reduced to a single lane in each direction.
- Highway 194 in Hermantown – Detour. Highway 194/Midway Road intersection is closed. Watch for lane shifts and lane closures at the Highway 194/Highway 53 intersection. Get detour map.
- Highway 37 at County Road 7 in St. Louis County – Highway 37 is reduced to 35 mph speed limit with narrow, temporary lanes. St. Louis County Road 7 is closed to through traffic south of Highway 37 to Highway 16.
- Highway 2 Fosston to Erskine – Watch for closed lanes and reduced speed limit; expect delays.
- Highway 92 Zerkel – Detour. Closed between County Road 35 and Highway 200. Get detour map.
- Highway 71 Bemidji – Reduced speed limit, narrow lanes, and lane shifts on Highway 71. Anne Street is closed with a detour at Highway 71.
If you’re traveling to other parts of Minnesota for the holiday, you can see a complete list of this year’s projects by highway or region at www.mndot.gov/roadwork/current.html. Motorists can also stay informed about projects and other transportation topics by connecting to MnDOT via social media and by signing up for email updates for major projects at www.mndot.gov/emailupdates.
