For Twin City members....

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Your opinion please.
We will traveling through the cities in mid January. We intend to wait for a clear few days for driving. Coming from the north, what would be the likely best route to head through or around?
I have often taken I35E in the summer months, no issues then. Would it still be decent in winter time? 694/494 a better option? Another way to go to end up going south on I35?
Thanks for any insights

[sande005]

Your opinion please.
We will traveling through the cities in mid January. We intend to wait for a clear few days for driving. Coming from the north, what would be the likely best route to head through or around?
I have often taken I35E in the summer months, no issues then. Would it still be decent in winter time? 694/494 a better option? Another way to go to end up going south on I35?
Thanks for any insights

You are pretty familiar with winter weather in general, based on your location information. I live almost right next to the junction of I35E and 694 (I could walk to it!) Either will be just fine. 35E has a permanent section of slow speed, and weight restriction, near downtown St. Paul. I've pulled my trailer down it, but am unsure as to whether the weight restriction is for commercial vehicles only, or all vehicles. No tickets yet! They both receive equal attention for clearing, sanding, salting after a storm, so no difference on that front. During commute time, the 694 route has the edge - going south on 35E can get much more stop-n-go. Mid day and late evening it is fine. If there has been a storm, both are some of the very first roads to be cleared, and get great continued attention as needed.
I'll let you know - we head south on the same roads right after the first. But I left my trailer down there this fall...so won't have to tow through any possible ice/snow.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Yes, I'm familiar with winter driving...just not while pulling a trailer..lol
Thanks for the feedback sande005. When you say mid day, would you say between 10 and 2 would be good on either hwy?
We are thinking of doing the same as you next year. Leaving the trailer down there. We plan on going to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin TX for the Formula One GP next October then finding a place to store the trailer in the area for a few months.

[sande005]

Yes, I'm familiar with winter driving...just not while pulling a trailer..lol
Thanks for the feedback sande005. When you say mid day, would you say between 10 and 2 would be good on either hwy?
We are thinking of doing the same as you next year. Leaving the trailer down there. We plan on going to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin TX for the Formula One GP next October then finding a place to store the trailer in the area for a few months.

Those hours are about right. Coming from the north, things get backed up in the morning (7am-9/10am) on 35E until you get past the I94 interchange next to downtown St. Paul (everyone going into the city to work!). In the evening (4-6 ppm), the backup starts at the interchange and goes south (everyone leaving downtown and going south to go home). But that is true any weekday of the year. 694 has the same issues, but the stop-n-go moves a bit faster....

We've always wanted to snowbird, but digging the trailer out of a snowbank and then towing in the snow and ice has been the big impediment. Guess I have to buy a second, one for summer, one to keep south for winter.....[NOT!]

[Riverbug]

If you are going to TX, then you likely would head south through IA on 35? If that's your goal, the shortest and fastest route is 94 from north of the cities to 494 toward Bloomington, and 35 South out of the state. With all the lane additions over the recent years, it'll be good mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

[MoonShadow_1911]

If you are going to TX, then you likely would head south through IA on 35? If that's your goal, the shortest and fastest route is 94 from north of the cities to 494 toward Bloomington, and 35 South out of the state. With all the lane additions over the recent years, it'll be good mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

We just did this route, from Rochester, MN. Just a warning, the bridge transitions on I-35 in Iowa are the worst ones we've encountered yet.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

If you are going to TX, then you likely would head south through IA on 35? If that's your goal, the shortest and fastest route is 94 from north of the cities to 494 toward Bloomington, and 35 South out of the state. With all the lane additions over the recent years, it'll be good mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

We will coming down I35 from Duluth. Be briefly in TX, but heading to the Apache Junction/Mesa area. Just figured going relatively straight south initially to get out of the snow/salt region, then angle west around Kansas City. Not sure if K City is fine to drive through or go around..sure looks like a spider web of hwys. But like the Twin cities, guess it's all in the timing.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

We just did this route, from Rochester, MN. Just a warning, the bridge transitions on I-35 in Iowa are the worst ones we've encountered yet.

Toss the trailer and pop the kitchen drawers open kind of transitions?

[fmartinmn]

If you are going to TX, then you likely would head south through IA on 35? If that's your goal, the shortest and fastest route is 94 from north of the cities to 494 toward Bloomington, and 35 South out of the state. With all the lane additions over the recent years, it'll be good mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

As Riverbug says, this is a good route if you are coming from the Northwest (from St Cloud). However, you will encounter a daily backup In Bloomington due to the interchange at I494 & I35W. Begins about 2:30PM and continues past 6:30 PM. If you are coming through from the Duluth area I35E will be a better route. The weight restriction on I35E is intended for commercial vehicles, I believe. I have towed this route many times with my Imagine travel trailers as well as my current Solitude. No issues, except for the daily rush hours slow down sande005 already mentioned. Safe travels.

[MoonShadow_1911]

Toss the trailer and pop the kitchen drawers open kind of transitions?

Well, let's just say I have Sumo Springs on both the truck and trailer and the MorRyde Rubber Pin Box, and got enough chucking that I was concerned. I did find that if I grab the brake controller about a second before the transition, it stopped the chucking (keep in mind I have disc brakes). But, the down side of that is it smokes the tires and puts more wear on them.