MNDOT Says To Expect Grandma’s Marathon-Related Traffic + Detours

It's almost time for one of the biggest (if not the biggest) weekends in the Twin Ports:  Grandma's Marathon.  And with the influx of runners from all corners of the world to the Northland comes traffic changes, delays, and detours.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation is forewarning drivers in advance of the weekend to anticipate, plan, and watch for heavier-than-usual traffic problems in the area - due to a variety of factors.

In regards to the race itself, Grandma's Marathon will require a detour on I-35 and Highway 61 on Saturday to accommodate the runners and the race itself. The traditional detour route through downtown is under construction this year so adjustments have been made; those adjustments to the detour required to avoid the construction are going to result in longer delays than normal.

For those heading to Duluth on June 18 (or even earlier in the week), MNDOT is prepping drivers to anticipate longer than normal delays going through Duluth as well.  I-35 is open but with the work involved with the Twin Ports Interchange project (Can of Worms), that route is down to one lane northbound and one lane southbound.  Major congestion and delays are expected and local drivers are urged to use alternative routes to ease up on the amount of traffic involved in that area.  Additionally, the Minnesota Department of Transportation urges drivers who do travel through the one-lane section of I-35 to use the Zipper Merge-tactic of travel and lane merging.

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More details about Grandma's Marathon-related delays and detours can be found on the official website of the Minnesota Department of Transportation.  They also provide complete information about all of the summer road projects being coordinated by their agency.