35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown

Constructed in five stages, the Downtown to Crosstown project included upgrading pavement and bridges, improving transit service along I-35W and Lake Street in Minneapolis, and providing better access into the Lake Street Business District with two new exit ramps. Along with 35W upgrades, the project included an eight-block reconstruct of Lake Street and a new Transit Station for Lake Street and 35W.

Throughout the winter of 2019/2020 crews began work on three key 35W corridor bridges and retaining walls to allow access for the Transit Station construction to begin in June 2020. Earthwork and underground operations started in spring 2020 to open access across streets and bridges, along with completing concrete paving on the southbound lanes and north end of the project to switch traffic into the final stage mid-summer. The project team was able to re-sequence and complete work activities on the TH65 corridor to allow traffic to utilize the downtown entrance and exit ramps nearly two years early. A big part of the Stage 4 success was the development of alternate traffic layouts to allow vital entrances and exit ramps to remain open to the traveling public as well as opening up access to work activities early.

The Lake Street extension, divided into three stages over two construction seasons, started in spring 2020 along with the construction of the Lake Street Transit station and was completed in the fall of 2021.