I-35W Closure Delays Prince Fans In Town For Celebration 2019
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Since construction began, Twin Cities drivers have experienced periodic closures of Interstate 35W. However, this particular shutdown comes on a very special weekend for fans of the Purple One.
Caesar Julian made the trip from Canada to Minneapolis for Celebration 2019, a three-day event honoring the life and legacy of Prince.
"Back home, we have a saying: there's only two seasons – winter and construction. I hear here it's just one season: construction," Julian said.
The closure is delaying his travels around town, along with fellow fans.
"Going back and forth from Uptown to Chanhassen, we just have had rerouting, so it's been confusing," said Lisa Yarbrough of North Carolina. "We are Prince fans, we are going to get through it."
Crews are working around the clock this weekend to complete underground utility work as a part of the four-year project.
Right now, they're in the midst of stage three, which does include some full weekend closures.
The project also includes lane restrictions and bridge and lane closures.
Dealing with the detour has been inconvenient for Yarbrough, but she says the extra time spent in the car just means she gets to see more of the city her music idol loved so much.
"We get to see some neighborhoods that we didn't plan on seeing. We would have waited forever in traffic, we would have gone through any detour," Yarbrough said.
The stretch of road is expected to be back open in time for the Monday morning commute.
