As if it could get any worse. More road construction projects are set to start in the Twin Cities.
The biggest one, an upcoming project on 394, is going to be a nuisance for drivers who are used to the E-Z Pass lanes.
"We're gonna be repairing 34 bridges and the ramps around there including a lot of bridge deck repair and trying to just make the bridges last longer," says Metro Construction Director for MnDOT, Tim Nelson.
It will take a year and a half to complete and cost $70 million
As any driver on 394 knows, the biggest traffic issue with Minneapolis is the Lowry Hill tunnel - but that won't be receiving any love at the moment.
"That's the biggest reason why 394 backs up," says Nelson. "With this project, we are not adding capacity. We're not changing anything with the Lowry Hill tunnel, so it will not help with the congestion that's out there."
That, Nelson says will be a completely separate project down the road.
The ongoing construction around the metro area has already caused major disruptions for drivers, but it's about to get worse.
The project on 394 begins July 14th and will take a year-and-a-half. Closing the entire interstate to expedite the process isn't an option either, so it'll have to be piecemeal.
"We're going to be having directional closures and routing that traffic onto the reversible lanes. So that's kind of what's gonna happen next year. And the work this year is closing the reversible lanes to do the work on that. Because there's so much work out there, you can't just close down all of 394 and get all the work done. It takes time and staging to get through all that work."
Nelson says there's also a project set to begin soon on Highway 55 to resurface the road that will be completed by the fall.