I-494 Southeast Metro

Dakota County

This page covers I-494 from the I-94/694 interchange in Oakdale to the US 52 interchange in Inver Grove Heights. Total length of this section is approximately 7.9 miles.

Description

This section of I-494 includes one of the worst bottlenecks in the metro area: the I-494 Wakota Bridge over the Mississippi River. The old bridge was narrow, a safety hazard, and scene of many accidents and heavy congestion. Fortunately, construction of a replacement span is underway, begun in 2002. After some design issues, the westbound span was opened in 2006, although fallout from those same design issues has resulted in MnDOT firing the contractor. A new contract to build the eastbound span and complete the project was let to bid in 2007, ironically to the same contractor who was fired previously. Unfortunately, this will result in the original completion date of 2007 being pushed to at least 2009, if not 2010. Still, the completed westbound span, striped for 3 lanes in each direction, is a big improvement over the old 4-lane bridge.

Roadway Configuration

4 lanes from I-94/694 to US 61/10
6 lanes from US 61/10 to US 52
C/D roads at US 52

Average Daily Traffic Counts

Location	1980	1982	1984	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994
S of I-94/I-694	18,700	22,100	29,000	29,000	38,500	47,000	45,000	56,000
S of MN 120	17,700	19,000	25,700	25,500	37,500	44,000	40,000	52,000
S of Bailey Rd	17,500	18,700	25,200	24,500	36,000	N/A	N/A	N/A
W of US 61/10	32,800	30,300	38,400	38,800	N/A	N/A	59,000	71,000
Wakota Bridge	34,800	33,000	41,400	41,700	47,700	62,000	62,000	74,000
W of Hardman Ave	34,100	32,200	40,400	40,600	46,500	60,000	58,000	71,000
W of MN 156	30,600	29,200	31,000	41,500	45,600	60,000	59,000	73,000
W of 5th/7th Aves	32,600	31,300	33,000	43,200	46,800	62,000	61,000	75,000

Location	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	10-yr '96-'06 Change
S of I-94/I-694	59,000	65,000	69,000	67,000	74,000	78,000	+32%
S of Tamarack Rd	N/A	N/A	N/A	67,000	71,000	72,000	N/A
S of Valley Creek Rd	52,000	58,000	60,000	57,000	64,000	59,000	+13%
S of Lake Blvd	54,000	60,000	62,000	57,000	64,000	57,000	+6%
S of Bailey Rd	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
W of US 61/10	73,000	78,000	85,000	87,000	87,000	87,000	+19%
Wakota Bridge	76,000	82,000	87,000	89,000	89,000	89,000	+17%
W of Hardman Ave	72,000	79,000	84,000	85,000	85,000	86,000	+19%
W of MN 156	76,000	84,000	88,000	89,000	87,000	86,000	+13%
W of 5th/7th Aves	79,000	88,000	92,000	92,000	93,000	91,000	+15%

Traffic volumes west of 5th/7th Aves before 1988 reflect the pre-494-construction MN 110.
Lake Blvd interchange opened after 1994.
Tamarack Rd interchange opened ca. 2002.
2004 volumes between US 61/10 and MN 156 affected by Wakota Bridge construction.

Click HERE for the Exit List

Speed Limit

Mostly 60 MPH
55 MPH in the Wakota Bridge area

History

Opened between MN 156 and US 61/10 (the Wakota Bridge) in 1959.
Opened from west of 5th/7th Aves to MN 156 in 1960.
Opened between US 61/10 and MN 120 in 1962.
Opened between MN 120 and I-94 in 1967.
MN 156 interchange reconstructed and 6-lane widening between 5th/7th Aves and MN 156 ca. 1981.
Opened from west of US 52 to 5th/7th Aves in 1986.
Hardman Ave interchange reconstruction and 6-lane widening between MN 156 and Hardman Ave ca. 1988.
Interchange at Lake Rd constructed ca. 1994.
Interchange at Tamarack Rd constructed ca. 2002.
New westbound Mississippi River bridge opened in 2006. All traffic is currently using this bridge.
Valley Creek Rd interchange reconstructed ca. 2007.
Reconstruction/widening between MN 156 and Lake Rd underway in 2006 (estimated completion 2011).

Future Plans

Re-letting of the planned eastbound Mississippi River bridge was done in 2007, which will push full completion of the I-494 Wakota Bridge project to at least 2009.
After passage of the 2008 transportation funding bill, MnDOT released a revised project list, advancing several projects. One project mentioned is a resurfacing and "Add Lane" project between Lake Rd and I-94, scheduled for 2009-2010. If this is the case, then combined with the Wakota Bridge project this will result in a 6-lane I-494 from I-94 in Woodbury all the way to MN 55 in Plymouth.

Froggie Suggests

Expedite completion of the Wakota Bridge project.
Widen I-494 to 8 lanes between US 52 and US 61/10.
Expedite widening I-494 to 6 lanes between US 61/10 and I-94/694.

Links

Last updated 12 May, 2008