Least traffic heavy weekday time going S on 35E? (Minneapolis: home, neighborhood)

[601halfdozen0theother]

I have to travel THROUGH the Mn/St. Paul metro area from Northern Mn down to Iowa using 35 E. I usually travel weekends to avoid the worst traffic, but next week I have to travel on a weekday. For those of us not used to metropolitan traffic and speeds that part of the trip is a white knuckler! For some reason going S seems much more difficult than going back N. And I surely don't like driving it at night, either.

So: When's the best time on a WEEK DAY to get through that awful hour of metropolitan 35E?

Thanks!

[iNviNciBL3]

You'll be fine between 10am - 2pm
Pay attention to Speed limits... (When your going SB on 35E) South of Downtown its 45mph, by 494 its 55mph, once you pass 494 it jumps to 70 mph lol

Safe Travels!

[west336]

The traffic really isn't that bad outside of rush hour.....why do you have to go on I-35E? What about I-35W, which is much wider and not under construction (like 35E is)?

[Cleverbeetle98]

35E south of St. Paul is usually pretty clear (I drive it around 7-730 AM). I can't speak for 35E leading into St. Paul and I would imagine that is the problem area for southbound traffic. I've left town on a weekday around 8 and had NO problems.

[Beenhere4ever]

Originally Posted by BobMarley_1LOVE

You'll be fine between 10am - 2pm
Pay attention to Speed limits... (When your going SB on 35E) South of Downtown its 45mph, by 494 its 55mph, once you pass 494 it jumps to 70 mph lol

Safe Travels!

Agree with this. My doctor is north of St Paul just off 35E. I like appointments with him slightly before noon, so I'm driving back south slightly after noon. Urban freeways are always busy, but gridlock-time for interstates without lane closures (it is lane closing season, so look at the construction announcements at MNDOT), is limited to maybe 6:30-9:30am and 3-6:30pm.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Beenhere4ever

Agree with this. My doctor is north of St Paul just off 35E. I like appointments with him slightly before noon, so I'm driving back south slightly after noon. Urban freeways are always busy, but gridlock-time for interstates without lane closures (it is lane closing season, so look at the construction announcements at MNDOT), is limited to maybe 6:30-9:30am and 3-6:30pm.

Gridlock--um, not really. The only real bad times are between about 7:15-7:45am and between 5-6 PM. Outside of those times, barring major construction or snow, traffic is free flowing. Even during the worst commuting traffic, again unless there is major construction, snow or an accident, you still move along at a fairly good pace. It is RARE to actually be in a gridlock anywhere in the metro.

[twinswinmh]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Gridlock--um, not really. The only real bad times are between about 7:15-7:45am and between 5-6 PM. Outside of those times, barring major construction or snow, traffic is free flowing. Even during the worst commuting traffic, again unless there is major construction, snow or an accident, you still move along at a fairly good pace. It is RARE to actually be in a gridlock anywhere in the metro.

We all have different definitions of gridlock I'm sure.

[Thegonagle]

I'd put the "best" possible time to drive through the cities between 10 and 11 AM.

And don't be nervous. That won't help, but this might. This is what I do:

The area at 35E and 694 has been rebuilt to eliminate the lane crossing drivers used to have to do to stay on their route. It's now safe and very nice to drive on. Just follow the signs to stay on 35E.

Continuing south past hwy 36 as you approach downtown, get into the middle lane (to avoid merging traffic) and hold steady for a few miles.

At the eastbound I-94/hwy 52 exit (which is a left exit), the left lane becomes an exit only lane, and your lane splits in two. As your lane splits, stay right. (You can also be one lane to the right; just remember that when the road widens to 4 lanes, you need to be in one of the middle two.)

The roadway then curves right and will run next to westbound I-94 for about a half a mile. (Some 94 traffic will move over to 35E from the right.) Just stay where you are until the road forks and curves left again. Then you're basically home free.

Easy.

Note that when the road curves left after the I-94 common, that's about where the speed limit drops from 55 to 45 for several miles. I usually move back to the right lane, keep it at 45-50, and leave the left lane for those wishing to press their luck.

(Trivia: The speed limit is 45 in that area not because of any safety concern, but to keep the noise level down in the wealthy, well-connected Summit Hill neighborhood. Without the lowered speed limit, they could have prevented the freeway from being built at all.)

[Beenhere4ever]

Wow, denial of gridlock. Sorry, I'm not going by what I hear but what I've been in. Gridlock by my definition is daily. In summer, it can get much worse as the road crews get out to repair winter damage. With out mild past winter, that might be toned down. But there are still the "improvement" projects. There are many sites that have realtime traffic info. I remember at one workplace a guy would bring one up a half hour before quitting time to see if he needed to keep off the road till things tamed down. Twin Cities Traffic | Live MnDOT Cams, Accident Reports, Minnesota Road Construction and Maps

[Beenhere4ever]

Just check out the traffic map at about 7:07am. Here's the picture it shows. Starting around highway 280 to downtown Mpls, creeping along. 14 mph at Huron Blvd. I guess there are different definitions of "gridlock", but this slow motion parade into Minneapolis is a daily thing. 35E at highway 36 is 25 mph right now. Neither one of those is what I'd call "free flowing".