Road Rage & Orange Cones
The commuter’s survival guide to Highway 65, Highway 10, and the backroads that will save your sanity.
🚦 The Traffic Report
CURRENT STATUS: 2026Construction Starts April 2026. Avoid.
Finishing May 2026. Green lights ahead.
Service Ending. Plan accordingly.
Your new best friend.
Bartender’s Note: If you’re buying a house in Blaine this year, invest in audiobooks. You’re going to need them.
Let me guess. You need a drink.
You just spent 45 minutes sitting at a red light on Highway 65 that cycled three times without letting anyone through. You watched a guy in a lifted pickup truck cut across three lanes of traffic to make the exit at 109th. You’re stressed. Your knuckles are white.
I get it. I’m a Realtor. I live in my car. I show houses from Anoka to Blaine every single day, which means I know exactly which intersections are the circles of hell and which backroads are the stairway to heaven.
In the North Metro, real estate isn’t just about “Location, Location, Location.” It’s about “Commute, Commute, Commute.” And in 2026, the map is changing. One city is entering a nightmare, and another is waking up from one.
So, let’s spread out the map on the bar and plot your survival strategy.
Blaine: “Thrive on 65” (Or Survive It)
If you live in Blaine, or you’re looking at those beautiful new builds near the TPC, I need you to listen to me. April 2026 is D-Day.
That is when the Thrive on 65 project officially breaks ground. We are talking about a $195 million overhaul. They are ripping up the highway from 97th Ave all the way up to 117th.
The Pain Points:
- 99th Avenue is closing. You won’t be able to cross Hwy 65 there anymore. It’s becoming a “right-in, right-out” or closing entirely depending on the phase. This cuts the city in half for local traffic.
- 105th & 109th Interchanges. These are turning into massive construction zones. They are building SPUIs (Single Point Urban Interchanges). It sounds fancy, and eventually, it will be. It keeps traffic moving by controlling all turns from one set of lights. But for the next three years? It means lane closures, confusing detours, and confused drivers.
- The “Zipper Merge” Reality. Minnesotans are terrible at zipper merging. We all know this. We merge a mile early and then block the other lane out of spite. Expect delays of 20+ minutes just to get through Blaine.
My Advice: If you are buying in Blaine, look East of the highway. If you can take Lexington Ave or Radisson Rd to get to Highway 10, you might save your marriage. If you buy on the West side, get comfortable with University Ave.
Coon Rapids: The Dust Settles
Now, let’s look at the flip side. Coon Rapids residents have been suffering for years. The Highway 10 Expansion has been a headache since I started selling houses.
But guess what? It’s done.
By May 2026, the cones are gone. The last bucket of paint is dry.
Why This Matters for Home Values:
- The Noise Walls: Those massive concrete walls are finally up. If you look at houses in the “Northdale” or “Creek Meadow” neighborhoods, go stand in the backyard. It’s quieter than it was five years ago. That is value you can hear.
- Frontage Road Freedom: The new frontage road system means you don’t have to jump on the highway just to get to Target or Menards. Local traffic stays local. Highway traffic stays moving.
- Rum River Bridge: The new bridge is wider, safer, and finally open. The bottleneck that used to trap people coming home from Anoka is gone.
If you want a stress-free commute starting in June 2026, Coon Rapids is the place to be. You get to drive past the Blaine construction and wave (politely, of course).
RIP: The Northstar Commuter Rail
We have to pour one out for the Northstar Line.
The city documents from both Coon Rapids and Anoka are clear: they are preparing for the “permanent cessation” or drastic reduction of the commuter rail. The ridership just never came back after 2020.
What does this mean for you?
If you were looking at those “Transit Oriented Developments” (TOD) like the apartments at Port Riverwalk or the condos in downtown Anoka thinking you’d take the train to a Twins game or your downtown office… rethink that plan.
You are going to be driving. Or taking the express bus from the park-and-ride.
The “Metro Transit” signs might still be there, but the train is leaving the station for good. Factor that gas money into your monthly budget.
The “Backroad Bible”
Okay, here is the gold. These are the routes I use when I have 15 minutes to get from a showing in Andover to a closing in Fridley.
🗺️ The Bartender’s Shortcuts:
Take Radisson Road. It runs parallel to 65 on the east side. It’s a straight shot all the way down to Hwy 10. It has lights, yes, but it moves. It dumps you out right near the TPC Twin Cities, so watch for golf traffic in July.
Use Coon Rapids Boulevard. It used to be the main drag before Hwy 10 was built up. It’s wide, the speed limit is decent, and it takes you right past Alloy Brewing if you need a pit stop.
Foley Boulevard is the secret weapon for getting from the north side of Coon Rapids down to 610. Just watch out near the high school at 3:00 PM—that teen driver traffic is scarier than any construction zone.
Last Call
Traffic is a fact of life, but it doesn’t have to ruin your life.
If you’re buying a home in 2026, don’t just look at the granite countertops. Look at the road construction map. Drive the route at 5:00 PM on a Tuesday. See if you can live with it.
And if you find yourself stuck on Hwy 65 next year, staring at a sea of brake lights… just remember, I warned you.
Drive safe out there.
Jacob Zwack
Realtor | The Minnesota Real Estate Team
The Commuter’s Realtor.
Serving the North Metro. RENE, C2EX, SRS, ABR designated.
“I know the shortcuts.”
Jacob Zwack is a licensed Realtor with The Minnesota Real Estate Team. All information presented is for educational purposes. Traffic patterns and construction schedules are subject to change by MnDOT and county officials. Always verify commute times before purchasing.
© 2026 mnbyjz.com | All rights reserved.