Talks About Cars

AAA wants to guide drivers from the Minnesota area with the TripTik Travel Planner. This online traffic planner has recently closed the automatic routing on the affected areas on I-35W, as the bridge collapsed early this month.

AAA wants to help drivers, commuters, and other motorists by providing them traffic guides using alternative routes around Minnesota. So if you reside in the Twin Cities follow these routes when you are heading to Minneapolis from the North Metro.

* Motorists from the north and northeast suburbs (Fridley, Columbia Heights, New Brighton, etc.) will face the greatest challenge getting to work. They are urged to take westbound I-694 to southbound I-94 into downtown Minneapolis.

* An alternate route for those in the north and northeast is to take I-35W southbound to SR 280, heading south to I-94 west into downtown and exiting on 5th Street.

* If you are coming from the northwest suburbs (Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, etc.) take I-694 east to I-94, heading south into downtown and take the 4th Street or 7th Street exits. Another route from the northwest would be I-494 east to I-394 east to the downtown Minneapolis exits.

* Other less-traveled alternate routes include East River Road and University Avenue from the north, across the Broadway Bridge into downtown Minneapolis.

* Another route from the northwest is I-494 east to I-394 east to the downtown Minneapolis exits.

* Other less traveled, non-freeway-style alternate routes from the northeast include Central Avenue to the 3rd Avenue bridge; or taking University Avenue or East River Road/Marshall Street across the Broadway Avenue bridge to Washington Avenue and then into downtown Minneapolis.