ST. PAUL, Minn. — As Memorial Day weekend approaches and summer construction roadwork around the state revs up, the Minnesota Department of Transportation urges motorists to use extra caution while driving through highway work zones.
By visiting www.511mn.org or calling 5-1-1, motorists can plan their trips with the latest statewide traffic, construction, weather and travel information.
While the department will suspend work on many projects during the long weekend, motorists may still encounter detours and traffic restrictions as well as rough road surfaces and narrowed traffic lanes on heavily traveled routes, including:
Twin Cities Metro area
Interstate 35E – between County Road 96 in White Bear Lake and the I-35E/I-35W split in Columbus
Eastbound Highway 10 – between County Road 96 and I-694 in Arden Hills
I-694 – at Snelling Avenue in Arden Hills
Greater Minnesota
· I-35 – Sandstone to Duluth
· Highway 1 – South of Ely
· Highway 113 – Highway 59 to Mahnomen County Road 4
· Highway 10 – Big Lake to Clear Lake
· Highway 23 – East of St. Cloud closed to Foley
· I-94 – at Albertville
· Highway 27 – Isle to Woodland
Highway 43 – Bratsberg to County Road 12 in Fillmore County
Highway 14 – Olmsted and Dodge counties between Byron and Kasson
Memorial Day weekend is traditionally one of the deadliest on Minnesota roads during the spring and summer months. Safe driving during the long weekend ranks as a paramount concern for the departments of Transportation and Public Safety and law enforcement agencies statewide.
In 2011, there were 1,796 crashes that resulted in eight deaths and 741 injuries in Minnesota state highway work zones alone, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
MnDOT encourages motorists to follow these recommendations while driving, and especially when encountering work zones:
· Use safety belts
· Drive sober
· Stay alert
· Watch for signs and work zone flaggers
· Minimize distractions such as using cell phones, eating or drinking
· Avoid tailgating
· Follow posted speed limits -- Fines double in work zones
· Stay in one lane while driving through a work zone
