I-494 Bloomington Strip

Bloomington Strip

This page covers I-494 from the MN 5 WEST/US 212 interchange in Eden Prairie to the MN 5 EAST interchange near the airport and Minnesota River. MN 5 is duplexed with I-494 along this entire length. Total length of this section is approximately 10.7 miles.

Description

This segment of I-494 is nicknamed the "Bloomington Strip", and is the busiest segment of the I-494/694 Beltway. Much of this stretch was originally opened in 1959, and saw such large initial traffic volumes that it had to be widened east of MN 100 within 10 years. Much of the traffic along this route can be attributed to the numerous office parks and other commercial developments along the stretch, plus a lot of industrial area in the western part of the corridor. This route sees some of the most chronic congestion in the metro area, and is in dire need of planned improvements. A corridor study/EIS was conducted in the late 80s/early 90s, but due to funding constraints, not all recommendations will be implemented, and those that will be added will be stretched out over the next 20 years.

Roadway Configuration

6 lanes west of MN 77
8 lanes east of MN 77
Occasional auxiliary lanes between interchanges (not at every interchange)

Average Daily Traffic Counts

Location	1980	1982	1984	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994
E of MN 5 WEST/US 212	39,000	40,900	49,500	46,400	41,000	48,500	53,000	62,000
E of Prairie Center Dr	50,500	51,000	59,100	63,000	61,500	73,000	80,000	85,000
E of US 169	56,400	59,000	74,500	79,000	78,500	87,000	95,000	99,000
E of E Bush Lake Rd	61,500	69,500	87,900	91,000	92,500	101,000	108,000	113,000
E of MN 100	82,000	85,000	104,700	108,000	124,500	130,000	139,000	146,000
E of France Ave	86,000	93,000	111,000	120,500	134,000	139,000	151,000	156,000
E of Penn Ave	95,000	102,400	119,400	130,800	143,000	148,000	161,000	168,000
E of I-35W	87,500	95,100	102,000	113,000	124,000	127,000	142,000	152,000
E of Lyndale Ave	84,600	89,900	96,800	107,500	119,000	124,000	138,000	148,000
E of Nicollet Ave	79,000	84,100	91,800	102,100	117,500	122,000	135,000	145,000
E of Portland Ave	70,500	68,800	75,700	85,500	101,000	107,000	120,000	132,000
E of 12th Ave	74,000	78,300	86,400	97,500	114,000	120,000	134,000	144,000
E of MN 77	54,300	57,100	71,000	89,000	105,800	109,000	120,000	131,000
E of 24th Ave	53,400	57,800	71,700	81,000	95,500	105,000	121,000	137,000
E of 34th Ave	52,300	N/A	69,000	66,800	82,500	89,000	104,000	120,000

Location	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	10-yr '96-'06 Change
E of MN 5 WEST/US 212	64,000	69,000	70,000	69,000	63,000	80,000	+25%
E of Prairie Center Dr	90,000	92,000	92,000	91,000	83,000	115,000	+28%
E of US 169	104,000	107,000	111,000	106,000	95,000	132,000	+27%
E of E Bush Lake Rd	118,000	123,000	124,000	120,000	107,000	140,000	+19%
E of MN 100	152,000	157,000	157,000	146,000	130,000	155,000	+2%
E of France Ave	158,000	164,000	167,000	158,000	141,000	162,000	+3%
E of Penn Ave	168,000	174,000	175,000	158,000	143,000	166,000	-1%
E of I-35W	153,000	159,000	161,000	158,000	147,000	153,000	0%
E of Lyndale Ave	149,000	156,000	160,000	152,000	141,000	150,000	+1%
E of Nicollet Ave	140,000	156,000	160,000	152,000	146,000	150,000	+7%
E of Portland Ave	134,000	146,000	149,000	138,000	132,000	136,000	+1%
E of 12th Ave	146,000	161,000	165,000	154,000	148,000	153,000	+5%
E of MN 77	131,000	137,000	141,000	150,000	139,000	141,000	+8%
E of 24th Ave	138,000	152,000	170,000	153,000	141,000	155,000	+12%
E of 34th Ave	120,000	132,000	160,000	155,000	121,000	128,000	+7%

2002-04 traffic volumes lower due to recession effects.
2002 volumes at Penn Ave are further lower due to interchange reconstruction.
2004 volumes are somewhat lower due to pavement construction.
2004 volumes west of MN 100 lower due to reconstruction.

Click HERE for the Exit List

Speed Limit

60 MPH throughout

History

Constructed between MN 100 and MN 5 EAST in 1959.
Constructed between US 169 (then-CSAH 18) and MN 100 in 1961.
Constructed between MN 5 WEST and US 169 in 1963.
Widened between MN 100 and MN 5 EAST in 1965.
Widened from 24th Ave to MN 5 EAST in 1984.
France Ave interchange reconstructed in 1985.
Widened from 12th Ave to 24th Ave, in conjunction with MN 77 and 24th Ave interchange reconstruction, in 1988-89.
Penn Ave interchange reconstructed in 2002.
Widened from MN 5 WEST to MN 100, including reconstruction and addition of an EB off-ramp at the E. Bush Lake Rd interchange, in 2003-05.

Future Plans

The city of Richfield is advancing a project to reconstruct the Lyndale Ave interchange into a SPUI. This construction is currently planned for 2008.
The interchange at US 169, long a thorn in MnDOT's side, was planned for reconstruction into a full freeway-to-freeway interchange, with additional ramps to provide local access to the frontage road system. A severe funding crunch resulted in the project being postponed indefinitely. Although the funding situation has improved, no timetable currently exists for this much-needed project.
A massive project to reconstruct and improve the interchanges at MN 100 and I-35W, as well as widening between MN 100 and MN 77 to as many as 6 lanes in each direction, is part of the I-494 EIS that was issued a few years ago. Funding isn't available for this until the 2024-2030 timeframe, though.

Froggie Suggests

Add two flyover ramps at the MN 5 WEST interchange: WB 494 to WB 5, and EB 5 to NB 494.
Expedite the reconstruction of the US 169 interchange to a full freeway-to-freeway interchange.
Expedite the reconstruction of the MN 100 interchange.
Per the I-494 EIS, widen I-494 between MN 100 and MN 77 (minimum of 4 through lanes in each direction, plus auxiliaries).
Expedite the reconstruction of the I-35W interchange.
Reconstruct the Lyndale Ave, Portland Ave, and 34th Ave interchanges into SPUIs.
Remove the interchanges at Nicollet Ave and 12th Ave.
Add a flyover from SB 77 to EB 494.
Widen the NB 77 to WB 494 flyover to 2 lanes.

Links

Last updated 12 May, 2008