I-694 North Metro

North Metro

This page covers I-694 from the I-94/I-694 split in Brooklyn Center to the western interchange with I-35E. This includes a roughly 4.6 mile duplex with US 10. Total length of this section is approximately 12.3 miles.

Description

As with much of the I-494/694 beltway, this section was designed and built in the 1960's, and is showing its age. This northern section of I-694 sees significant traffic, much of it coming from the residential areas along the route. This residential area is what I-694 primarily serves here, although there is some industrial area off of Lexington Ave. One of the most dangerous interchanges in the Twin Cities metro is along this stretch: at US 10 and MN 51. Because of the large traffic volumes, MnDOT widened the segment from I-94/MN 252 to I-35W in the late '80s.

Roadway Configuration

5 lanes (2 westbound, 3 eastbound) between I-94/694 split and MN 100 ramps
8 lanes from MN 100 ramps to I-94 EAST/MN 252 ramps
10 lanes across Mississippi River bridge
8 lanes from E River Rd to MN 47
6 lanes from MN 47 to I-35W
4 lanes east of I-35W
Only 1 continuous through lane in each direction between US 10 WEST and MN 51/Hamline Ave
Auxiliary lanes between CSAH 49/Rice St and I-35E SOUTH

Average Daily Traffic Counts

Location	1980	1982	1984	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994
E of MN 100	77,500	67,200	72,000	77,500	81,500	80,500	87,000	100,000
Mississippi River Bridge	82,000	86,000	104,500	112,700	116,000	106,000	122,000	134,000
E of E. River Rd	74,000	75,500	88,000	97,000	100,000	100,000	118,000	129,000
E of MN 47	65,000	61,000	76,000	85,000	88,000	88,000	108,000	118,000
E of MN 65	58,400	59,200	64,000	70,500	75,000	86,000	93,000	101,000
E of Silver Lake Rd	57,000	58,300	63,200	70,200	74,500	85,000	92,000	99,000
E of Long Lake Rd	56,100	58,100	62,500	69,500	73,000	84,000	89,000	98,000
E of I-35W	34,700	33,500	39,000	39,500	48,000	54,000	57,000	64,000
Between US 10 and MN 51	52,900	51,000	59,700	62,500	72,000	84,000	86,000	94,000
E of MN 51	40,900	39,700	47,400	56,000	59,000	67,000	68,000	83,000
E of Lexington Ave	42,000	39,000	46,000	54,700	58,000	67,000	69,000	84,000
E of Victoria St	42,400	39,900	46,900	54,300	58,000	67,000	68,000	84,000
E of Rice St	46,000	45,300	53,900	56,500	60,500	71,000	72,000	86,000

Location	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	10-yr '96-'06 Change
E of MN 100	105,000	108,000	114,000	98,000	99,000	118,000	+12%
Mississippi River Bridge	151,000	160,000	160,000	141,000	142,000	150,000	-1%
E of E. River Rd	146,000	154,000	154,000	142,000	140,000	147,000	+1%
E of MN 47	131,000	134,000	134,000	123,000	123,000	129,000	-2%
E of MN 65	105,000	115,000	116,000	110,000	110,000	114,000	+9%
E of Silver Lake Rd	108,000	115,000	116,000	110,000	108,000	111,000	+3%
E of Long Lake Rd	107,000	113,000	113,000	107,000	108,000	110,000	+3%
E of I-35W	74,000	77,000	77,000	74,000	78,000	79,000	+7%
Between US 10 and MN 51	105,000	110,000	113,000	110,000	117,000	120,000	+14%
E of MN 51	89,000	96,000	99,000	94,000	101,000	105,000	+18%
E of Lexington Ave	90,000	95,000	102,000	97,000	99,000	94,000	+4%
E of Victoria St	90,000	95,000	101,000	96,000	98,000	95,000	+6%
E of Rice St	93,000	99,000	105,000	103,000	103,000	100,000	+8%

1980 count for "E of MN 100" includes I-94/I-694 combined.

Click HERE for the Exit List

Speed Limit

60 MPH throughout

History

First section was between I-35E and Rice St (then-MN 49) in 1961.
Extended to US 10 WEST in 1962.
Extended to then-US 8 (just west of I-35W) in 1964.
Fully completed in 1965.
I-94/I-694/MN 100 project completed in 1982.
Widened/reconstructed between I-94 and I-35W in stages between 1987-1990.

Future Plans

Interchange improvements at CSAH 49/Rice St are tentatively planned for 2009.
A project to improve the interchanges at I-35W and US 10/MN 51 and widen the corridor from I-35W to I-35E to 6 through lanes (plus auxiliaries) is currently planned to begin in 2013, though much of the work wouldn't occur until the 2015-2020 timeframe.

Froggie Suggests

Widen I-694 to provide 3 through lanes each direction between the 94/694 split and MN 252.
Add a WB 694 to S(E)B 94 flyover or direct ramp.
Widen I-694 to 10 lanes from the Mississippi River bridge to MN 47.
Reconstruct the MN 47 interchange into a single-point interchange (SPUI).
Widen I-694 to 8 lanes between MN 47 and I-35W.
Convert the MN 65 interchange back to a cloverleaf with C/D roads, optionally with an EB 694 to NB 65 flyover.
Reconstruct the Silver Lake Rd interchange into a SPUI.
Reconstruct the I-35W interchange to include EB 694 to NB 35W and NB 35W to WB 694 flyovers, and a C/D road on SB 35W.
Widen I-694 to 6 lanes between I-35W and US 10/MN 51.
Reconstruct the US 10/MN 51 interchange area to provide new ramps, and C/D roads between US 10 and MN 51. Remove the ramps to/from Hamline Ave.
Widen I-694 to 8 lanes between US 10/MN 51 and I-35E.
Reconstruct the Lexington Ave and Rice St interchanges into SPUIs.

Links

Last updated 12 May, 2008