ANOKA, Minn. — It’s rather cliché to say "pack your patience" in a story like this, but you’d better pack something if you have any plans of navigating your way through the two-and-a-half-mile stretch of Highway 10 between 7th Avenue and Thurston Avenue in Anoka.
"This is going to be a little bit of a pain with traffic and congestion and delays," said Kent Barnard with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
Crews with MnDOT will spend the next two years tackling this highway project, which includes removing and rebuilding both the 4th Avenue Bridge and the Rum River Regional Trail Bridge over Highway 10.
"Rebuilding Highway 47 Ferry Street into a new urban interchange, and then replace deteriorating concrete pavement on the roadway — also rebuild frontage road, rebuild some trails along the area, improve access along the roadway..." explained Barnard.
It’s a $98 million-project that is destined to cause headaches for drivers heading to the northern and western parts of the state this summer, with traffic dwindled down to just one lane in both directions.
"If you have a destination beyond Anoka, try to stay out of this area," said Barnard. He went on to explain, "You can take I-94, you can take Highway 610. Depending on where you’re going, you can even take 35W.”
MnDOT officials are asking drivers not to use nearby neighborhood streets in order to avoid traffic congestion for safety reasons.
"Sometimes people aren’t as attentive when they’re driving through the neighborhoods. We’ve had issues with speeding, running stop signs," said Barnard.
However you plan to navigate the construction zone in the foreseeable future, officials say the delays are just temporary.
"We’re taking out the signal systems along this roadway so in the future, you won't have as many delays," said Barnard.
This area of Highway 10 will be closed starting Friday, April 8 at 10 p.m., and will reopen Monday at 5 a.m., as crews tear down both the 4th Avenue Bridge and the Rum River Regional Trail Bridge.
The Highway 10 project is set to finish by spring 2024.
For up-to-the-minute traffic updates and alternate routes, click here.
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