Heavy Traffic Expected On I-35 For Grandma’s Marathon; MNDOT Issues Safety Reminders

Grandma's Marathon weekend is fast approaching and with it comes the influx of out-of-town runners, spectators and visitors.  As officials gear up for the extra people in town, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is alerting drivers to the heavy-traffic expected on area roadways and asking for everyone's cooperation.

According to MNDOT, an extra 50,000 - 60,000 people are expected to find their way into Duluth-Superior in the period that runs Thursday-Sunday.  With that many visitors, traffic is expected to swell on major roadways like I-35.

In addition to the extra cars, MNDOT also is alerting drivers to the road closures that come with the race itself.  Highway 61/London Road and the North Shore Scenic Highway will be closed during the marathon on Saturday.  Drivers should expect detours and delays.

Although it's located to the south of the Twin Ports, the road project on I-35 near Pine City/Hinckley has traffic restricted to a single lane in each direction due to a resurfacing project.  Lengthy backups are expected.

Check MNDOT's webpage for updates and details on these road considerations.