Between the Downtowns

This page covers I-94 from the I-394 interchange near downtown Minneapolis to the eastern I-35E "Capitol Interchange" near downtown St. Paul.  This section includes a short quarter-mile duplex with I-35E, and hidden duplexes with US 12 and US 52 along the entire length.  Total length of this section is approximately 10.7 miles.

Description

The main corridor between the two Twin Cities downtowns, I-94 was constructed during the 1960s parallel to the then-important University Ave. Even back then, there were some controversies involved, particularly at Lowry Hill (which resulted in the tunnel), at Prospect Park (where local residents did not want the mass of interchange ramps that then-MHD had proposed), and in the St. Paul neighborhood of Rondo, which was a middle-class black neighborhood that was virtually wiped out by construction of I-94.  Today, this portion of I-94 is an important and VERY congested corridor.

SEPTEMBER 2007 UPDATE:  The collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge has made the western portion of this corridor even more congested.  As a temporary measure, MnDOT has restriped I-94 between I-35W and MN 280 to provide 4 lanes in each direction, utilizing narrower lane widths and some of the shoulder to accomplish this.  The lane restripe has helped some with the congestion, though there is concern over the loss of shoulder.  MnDOT has stated that I-94 will be restriped back to its previous configuration when the new/replacement I-35W bridge is completed.  Several drivers have requested that MnDOT keep the 4-lane striped configuration after the I-35W bridge completion.

Roadway Configuration

Average Daily Traffic Counts

Location 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 10-yr
'96-'06
Change
East of I-394 (Lowry Hill Tunnel) 144,000 157,000 159,000 163,000 165,000 164,000 +14%
East of Lyndale/Hennepin Ave 180,000 197,000 199,000 208,000 211,000 190,000 +6%
East of I-35W SOUTH 140,000 157,000 160,000 158,000 157,000 156,000 +11%
East of I-35W NORTH/MN 55 92,000 127,000 130,000 128,000 132,000 138,000 +50%
East of 5th St 112,000 149,000 152,000 159,000 148,000 150,000 +34%
East of Cedar Ave 125,000 160,000 164,000 163,000 163,000 161,000 +29%
Between 25th/Riverside ramps 107,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
E of 25th/Riverside Ave (MS River) 115,000 154,000 159,000 157,000 167,000 157,000 +37%
E of Huron Blvd 119,000 158,000 164,000 160,000 171,000 171,000 +44%
Between MN 280 ramps 103,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
E of MN 280 138,000 168,000 172,000 168,000 170,000 171,000 +24%
E of Cretin Ave/Vandalia St 138,000 163,000 166,000 165,000 165,000 164,000 +19%
E of MN 51/Snelling Ave

134,000

149,000

156,000

157,000

159,000

159,000

+19%
E of Hamline Ave

139,000

154,000

160,000

165,000

164,000

163,000

+17%
E of Lexington Pkwy

139,000

159,000

160,000

164,000

164,000

162,000

+17%
E of Dale St

144,000

160,000

162,000

165,000

170,000

171,000

+19%
E of Marion/Kellogg/5th/10th 118,500 122,000

134,000

135,000

136,000

135,000

+14%
I-35E Duplex

161,000

165,000

180,000

160,000

161,000

195,000

+21%

1990 counts near downtown St. Paul and 1996 counts across the Mississippi are low due to construction.

Click HERE for the Exit List

Speed Limit

History

Future Plans

Froggie Suggests

Images (click on a thumbnail for a larger view)

This early 1950s map shows some of the early routing alternatives for I-94 through or around downtown Minneapolis.  An alignment similar to "Line A", along Washington Ave, is what was proposed in 1946.  By 1957, I-94 was proposed more or less along its present-day alignment.

Links

Last updated 24 May, 2008