Anyone live in Duluth? Traffic on 35 Friday a.m.?

[cavalierowner]

I will be heading up 35 from the Cities on Friday morning. I'll probably hit Duluth between 8:30 and 9 a.m. (depending on how long we stop for breakfast), then continue up 61.

What is traffic like at that time in the construction area? Are there 2 lanes open? I do have an alternate route to go around Duluth if it's likely to be bad.

[luckydog25]

Not sure about really close to Duluth (I cut over at Cloquet), but I was up north recently and there were still 3 spots where it drops down to 1 lane on 35N. 1 just past Hinkley another south of Cloquet and the bad one just north of the cities. That one I was there for a good half hour to 45 mins on a Thursday afternoon. It took me an extra hour and a half to get north, I also got stuck in the construction on 52N in St.Paul though. Thinking it may be a long drive on friday unless they have it opened back up. Looked like they were getting close. South bound wasn't bad at all coming home on Sunday.

[TooTallTom]

511mn.org is the traffic HSOforum for MNDOT, you could check that out before you leave (or on your smartyphone if that works for you) just to get a heads up.

[jwmiller33]

The construction project on 35 concluded last week and all lanes are now open. I drive that stretch to and from work everyday and there is not any traffic at all since the lanes re opened. You will be golden. I'd be more concerned with the stretches of road work between Duluth and the cities

[cavalierowner]

Thanks for the info! Yeah, I'm definately worried about the stuff closer to the Cities. We're leaving the Cities around 5:30 a.m., so I hope we miss the worst of it.

[Cheetah]

Traffic coming back SOUTH last Sunday from Duluth was insane bad. 15 miles of stop and go at 1pm in the afternoon... I think this around Askov area. I can't remember exactly which exits it as between.

[Jarrid Houston]

Have to imagine you wont be the only one heading north on Friday because of the "holiday"... With that being said Duluth shouldn't be bad. I live in the area, and can agree with JW comments! Gd luck hunting.

[Born2Fish]

Cheetah you are SO very right about that south bound traffic. We left early to try and get back in time for the football game, and ended up getting back AFTER the game was over. We ended up getting off around Sandstone and back on in Hinkley. That seemed to do the trick.

[luckydog25]

Good to know on the south bound traffic. Maybe something changed or I got lucky. It was 2 sundays ago when I had clear sailing all the way. Left Hibbing/Chisolm area at 9am was in Rochester at 1:15 and I don't drive like a mad man by any means. Glad I am hunting until wednesday though. That south bound stretch south of Hinkley can be horrible on Sundays without construction on heavy traffic weekends.

[nwhunter]

I don't know about downtown Duluth, but everything should be wide open from Hinckley to Cloquet through the winter. I thought I remember seeing an article somewhere that the construction in Duluth proper was going to last through the winter into next summer?