Drivers traveling southbound on Interstate 35W in Minneapolis will encounter a detour Aug. 8 through Aug. 11, weather permitting.

Southbound I-35W from Highway 55 to 46th Street will close Friday, Aug. 8 at midnight through 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Southbound I-35W traffic will be detoured to westbound I-94, westbound I-394, southbound Highway 100 and eastbound Highway 62. Drivers intending to access southbound I-35W from westbound I-94 or the 4th Avenue/12th Street ramps in downtown Minneapolis will follow the same detour.

Drivers intending to access southbound I-35W from eastbound I-94 will be detoured to eastbound Highway 55 and westbound Highway 62.

The closure is needed while crews survey I-35W for a road construction project between 46th Street and I-94 scheduled for summer 2017.

A detour map is available from the Minnesota DOT.

Closure in September

Northbound I-35W from 66th Street in Richfield to I-94 in Minneapolis will close Sept. 5 through Sept. 8 as crews continue survey work on the other side of the freeway. 

A full list of northbound I-35W ramp closures and detours will be announced in the coming days.

In addition to the survey work, crews will drill and take soil samples, inspect bridges and perform any needed repairs during each closure.

The state DOT said it is closing I-35W for two weekends to reduce the number of days needed to perform the work and will provide a safer work environment for survey and maintenance crews, as stretches of the I-35W work area have limited to no shoulder space.

For more information on the I-35W closures, visit the state DOT website.