Buckle up: More Twin Cities commute pain ahead
Driving our pain: MnDOT is kicking off a fresh construction and paving project on I-94 and I-394, bringing lane closures and more bottlenecks to the west end of downtown.
What to expect: A "giant cone zone stretching from Dunwoody College to the University of Minnesota," as the Star Tribune put it, with overnight lane closures on eastbound I-394 between Penn Ave. and Dunwoody Blvd. through July 28.
E-ZPass lanes between downtown Minneapolis and Highway 100 will close starting at the end of the month.
The big picture: The work, expected to last through November, comes at the peak of a busy summer road construction season in the metro, which includes another ongoing project that has slowed traffic on 94 between Minneapolis and St. Paul for months.
Highway 55, a typical alternate route for 394, will also be under construction.
Plus: The combination of drivers trying to go around the construction zones and local road repair projects has jammed up side roads, including East Lake Street and Marshall Avenue, for months.
Zoom out: MnDOT's summer to-do list includes roughly 180 projects aimed at shoring up the state's roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure.
Other recent construction zones include the I-494 bridge over the Minnesota River and a stretch of 494 between MSP Airport and Highway 100.
What they're saying: In a statement to Axios, MnDOT said it's trying to balance minimizing disruptions with completing "critical infrastructure" work during the state's "short construction season."
The agency noted that it delayed the I-394 work to reduce overlap with the construction happening to the east of downtown Minneapolis.
Between the lines: While it may seem like there's more construction than usual this summer, the number of projects is fairly typical, per the Star Tribune.
The bottom line:"Plan ahead, work earlier or later, work from home," Tim Nelson, director of construction for MnDOT's Metro District, told the Star Tribune.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
11 hours ago
- CBS News
E-ZPass lanes on I-394 close in both directions through November
Both directions of the E-ZPass lanes on I-394 between downtown Minneapolis and Highway 100 closed July 27 until November. During that time, the Minnesota Department of Transportation says its crews will work on repairing bridges and ramps. Drivers WCCO spoke with, are frustrated with another big interstate closure. "It's actually terrible for people to commute, really during rush hour," said Jammah Olben, "I use it a lot. Really when [Highway] 169 is packed I use it as a diversion to get over to I-94. I'll be impacted a lot trying to get home." Usually these major closures happen in the overnight hours when fewer people are on the roads, but not this time. The closure of the E-ZPass lanes in both directions will be enforced at all hours until November. MnDOT says this is part of a larger two-year plan to repair 34 bridges between Interstates 394 and 94. MnDOT also says there will be some overnight lane closures on the same stretch during the next four months. MnDOT currently has 46 road construction projects happening in the Twin Cities metro, including this one. "To get from our house down to St. Paul, I allowed 3.5 hours depending on the time of day," said Jeff Zuckerman jokingly. Zuckerman lives in the Minneapolis neighborhood of Bryn Mawr, off the Penn Avenue exit in the heart of the closure. Drivers will certainly have to pack more patience on the roads until the snow flies again. "You just gotta deal with that, whatever. They're doing it to fix the road for another 5 or 10 years, and they can't do any work in the winter," said Zuckerman. "There's nothing I can do about it. My patience is tested every day. The heat right now is testing my patience," said Olben.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Want a free E-ZPass transponder? Delaware's giving them away in August
Delaware motorists have the opportunity to receive a free E-ZPass transponder during a month-long promotion this August. The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles and E-ZPass Delaware are offering the free devices to anyone who opens a new individual E-ZPass Delaware account between Aug. 1 and Aug. 31, 2025. The offer does not apply to commercial accounts. Delaware E-ZPass account holders pay lower toll rates than out-of-state drivers or those using toll-by-plate. To help drivers estimate costs more accurately, the Delaware Department of Transportation will update its online toll calculator on Aug. 1. The update will reflect new rates for the state's three toll roads and pricing for vehicles with additional axles. To open an account, customers can visit call 1-888-397-2773, or visit an E-ZPass location in person. These include the E-ZPass Service Center in Dover and toll plazas in Dover, Middletown (Biddles Corner) and Newark. Walk-in service at toll plazas is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Toll fee increases set for August This free transponder event comes as tolls on several of Delaware's major roads are set to rise. Beginning Aug. 1, new rates will apply to I-95 in Newark, the US 301 Mainline and State Route 1 at Biddles Corner and Dover. On I-95 in Newark, the toll for two-axle vehicles will rise from $4.00 to $5.00 for both cash and E-ZPass users. At US 301 Mainline, the toll for two-axle E-ZPass users will increase from $4.00 to $5.00, while toll-by-plate customers will pay $7.00, up from $5.60. Toll amounts for interchanges along US 301 will vary. Drivers on SR 1 at Biddles Corner and Dover will see the following changes: Delaware E-ZPass holders: Weekday toll: $1.50 (two-axle vehicles) Weekend toll: $4.00 Cash and non-Delaware E-ZPass users: Weekday toll: $2.50 Weekend toll: $6.00 Can I use my Delaware E-ZPass outside of the state? Yes, the transponder works in the E-ZPass network, which includes Delaware and 18 other states. The 18 other states are: New Jersey Pennsylvania Maryland New York Massachusetts New Hampshire Maine Rhode Island Virginia West Virginia North Carolina Geogia Florida Kentucky Ohio Indiana Illinois Minnesota DMV fee increases to begin in October The Delaware Department of Transportation has also announced increases to DMV fees beginning on Oct. 1, 2025. Changes include a 1% increase to the document fee applied to vehicle transactions. Additionally, a new annual registration fee for alternative fuel vehicles will go into effect, affecting more than 48,000 registered vehicles in the state, according to DelDOT. MORE FEE INCREASES: Toll increases announced for Delaware Memorial Bridge. What drivers need to know State officials estimate that these increases will generate an additional $107 million annually to support infrastructure improvements across Delaware. For more information on toll rates or DMV fees, contact DelDOT Community Relations at 302-760-2080 or email dotpr@ You can contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How to get a free Delaware E-ZPass. Are tolls and DMV fees increasing? Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Warns AI Will ‘Totally Take Some Jobs' But Worries ‘The World is Not Ready for' This Much Greater Threat
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has become one of the most influential voices in artificial intelligence (AI), known for his candid assessments of both the promise and disruption brought by new technologies. In a recent Bloomberg interview, Altman addressed the looming impact of AI and robotics on employment, stating, 'AI is for sure going to change a lot of jobs, totally take some jobs away, and create a bunch of new ones. This is what happens with technology, and in fact, if you look at the history of the world of technology-driven job change, it's been happening for a long time. And the thing that is different this time is just the rate of which it looks like it will happen.' While Altman largely downplays the impact of AI on the job market, he did say humanity isn't prepared for something else he believes will have a much greater impact: 'The thing I think the world is not ready for is, I don't think the world has had the humanoid robots moment yet, and I don't think that's very far away from a visceral 'this is going to do a lot of things that people used to do.' It's coming. We have always tried to be super honest about what we think the impact may be, realizing that we may be wrong about a lot of the details.' When asked what will happen when humanoid robots arrive, Altman predicted that their presence will feel 'very sci-fi,' fundamentally altering daily life and the job market. More News from Barchart UnitedHealth Stock Spirals Lower Again. Don't Buy the Dip. This Self-Driving Car Stock Is Surging on a Major Nvidia Boost Auto Revenue Keeps Plunging at Tesla. Should You Buy the TSLA Stock Dip or Run Far Away? Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! Altman's authority on this subject is rooted in a career defined by technological foresight and leadership. After dropping out of Stanford, he co-founded Loopt, a location-based social networking startup, and later became president of Y Combinator, where he helped launch and scale some of Silicon Valley's most successful startups. Since 2019, Altman has led OpenAI, guiding the organization through the development of advanced AI systems such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, which have set new standards in natural language processing and generative AI. Under his leadership, OpenAI has secured major investments, including a multi-billion-dollar partnership with Microsoft (MSFT), and has been at the center of global discussions about the ethical and societal implications of artificial intelligence. Altman's comments reflect a pragmatic understanding of technological change. He draws on historical precedent, noting that job displacement and creation have accompanied every major wave of innovation, from the Industrial Revolution to the rise of the internet. What distinguishes the current era, in Altman's view, is the speed and breadth of change that AI and robotics are likely to bring. His prediction that the world is unprepared for the 'humanoid robots moment' signals a belief that the next phase of automation will be more visible and rapid than previous shifts, with robots performing tasks previously reserved for humans. This perspective is particularly relevant as businesses and policymakers grapple with how to adapt to AI's accelerating capabilities. Altman's insistence on honesty about the uncertainties involved, and his acknowledgment that even experts may be wrong about the details, offers a measured approach to navigating the future of work. His leadership at OpenAI, marked by a focus on transparency and ethical considerations, lends credibility to both his warnings and reassurances alike. As AI continues to reshape industries, Altman's insights serve as both a caution and a call to prepare for profound changes that will challenge existing structures but also create new opportunities, as has been the case throughout technological history. On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Sign in to access your portfolio
