Driving through Minneapolis since bridge collapse. & Co...

[JohnB.O.A.T.]

I've got a question for my friends to the north. My group is leaving from NE Iowa and heading to Gullrock on our yearly trip the end of May, four trucks all hauling big boats, I have never liked driving through Minneapolis, to many close calls, traffic, etc..... Our schedule does not allow us to leave in the dead of night to avoid the heavy traffic, and now that the bridge is out I doubt if things have gotten any easier. What's our best route going to be to get us North of the city? I was just up there and see that the farthest you can get is at the West Bank District. (Washington Exit it think)I will appreciate any advice to get us up there SAFE and sound.
Also to my fellow Gullrocker's and Red Laker's: Going home - Kenora through Baudette, or Dryden through Int'ntl Falls? We have always gone through Int'ntl Falls but the wait just kills me. I went back a second time last year in Aug to LOTW using Baudette and the wait coming and going was 5 minutes tops. What way do you use going home?

Thanks!

Keep'er on the bottom,

John B.O.A.T.

[Matches]

It's not a problem. Just take 35W north to 94 East. 94 to Hwy 280 North and that will put you back on 35 North. There are signs directing you this way. You may want to avoid the rush hour times though. (3-6pm, mon-fri).

[Hump]

Don't you take 35 thru Owatonna and fairbolt and then go 35e by the zoo and Eden praire? I didn't think the bridge was out that way.

[MN_Moose]

What part of N.E. Iowa?

Have you ever gone up taking Hwy 63 through Rochester?

Hwy 63 to Rochester
Hwy 52 North to South St Paul I494 / 694 loop around east side until back on 35 North.

The east side loop is a little bit longer but pulling big boats through downtown St. Paul isn't much fun.

[John B.O.A.T]

MN_Moose,

I'm in Waterloo. I've heard of that route. Might give it a try. It's just so easy to hop on 218 N out of Waterloo, it's all 4 lane to I-35.
And yes Hump, we do go through Owatanna. I guess I'm to busy white knuckeling the steering wheel and following the group to pay any attention , but I think we've always gone through the city, around the college. Is that 35-E?
Anybody have opinions on the Kenora vs. Dryden route?

Thanks for the help.

"Don't follow me. I'm lost too!"

John B.O.A.T.

[Camp Chef]

Have gone both ways.....shorcut around dryden then down through International falls is substantially quicker even if you have a short wait at the border

[Elmo]

Lesser of two evils, no good way to get around the cities do not even think of going straight north through the cities to Garrison. My dad is from Brainerd and you can't get there from here. Later hours are the way to go if you can.

[AllenW]

With road construction as it is, I'd find two ways to go and check just before you go, I'd hate to have a plan and find out there was 20 miles of stop and go traffic, because they decides to fix the road just before you started your trip.

Al

[Mohleye]

After the longest wait ever to re-enter at Ft Frances in 2006, we decided to try Baudette/Rainy River on the way home last summer. I'd say it takes about an hour longer in driving time, but there was no line at all at customs.

It was a chance to see some different country and try something new. Personally I'd rather spend my time driving than waiting in line. One problem was, the duty free store in Rainy River is closed Saturdays, but with no GST rebate, that's a non-issue for us now.

We'll probably decide this year based on the weather. I hate waiting in line when it's really hot, like it seems to always be when we're in line.

[King Canada]

The only realistic way to go is take the 35E split in Burnesville which rejoins 35W north of St. Paul. Just avoid it from 6:30 to 8:30 AM and 3:00 to 6:00 PM. I would never take 35W all the way through even with a bridge. I like the Baudette route home.

[SNOPRO]

>MN_Moose,
>
>I'm in Waterloo. I've heard of that route. Might give it a
>try. It's just so easy to hop on 218 N out of Waterloo, it's
>all 4 lane to I-35.
>And yes Hump, we do go through Owatanna. I guess I'm to busy
>white knuckeling the steering wheel and following the group to
>pay any attention , but I think we've always gone through the
>city, around the college. Is that 35-E?
>Anybody have opinions on the Kenora vs. Dryden route?
>
>Thanks for the help.
>
>"Don't follow me. I'm lost too!"
>
>John B.O.A.T.
Hi! I live just north of you in Janesville and we go to GullRock in late August. We take 218 to 35 then take 35E thru the cities.Call me....I talk better than I type. Steve......987-3068

[larrym]

We live in DesMoines and have taken the Baudette route several times. Adds at least an hour to the trip but a nice change in scenery.

[hammer66]

Another option to by-pass traffic is to go north on 35 to 494. Take 494 east. It will swing to the north. At I 94 it turns into 694. Just keep going. It will start a swing back to the west where it will hit I 35E. Go north here and you've missed almost all of the construction of the unweave the weave project.

694 is the northern Twin City bypass of I 94 and 494 is the southern.

[GBS]

I live next to the junction of 35E and 694. Work at the UofM, right on top of the collapse site. Yes, the 494/694 to 35E route is by far the best for those trying to navigate around the Cities. Pay attention to avoiding those rush hour times, and in spring/summer do everything you can to avoid ANY through travel up 35E on Thurs or Friday evenings. The "to the lake" traffic can be horriffic on the northern edge of the Cities. Reverse is true on Sunday late afternoons/evenings. Spent lots of time in my boat last spring fishing for walleye with the highway in sight, and pitying all those folks stuck in the jam. Didn't catch any, but I didn't have to spend hours crawling to not catch fish!

[LTF]

Thanks for the tip. I never thought about 494/694. Coming up 35W I've always split off on 35E and stayed on it pulling my boat through St. Paul. I hate that drive, but always thought it was the fastest route through.

[Elmo]

I also use the 511mn.org website it will give the road repairs and the times roads will be closed