Interstate 494

This article is about the beltway around portions of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota. For other uses, see Interstate 494 (disambiguation).

Interstate 494
Interstate 494 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Mn/DOT
Length:	43.00 mi (69.20 km)
Existed:	1985 – present
Major junctions
West end:	I-94 / I-694 in Maple Grove
	I-394 / US 12 in Minnetonka US 212 in Eden Prairie US 169 in Bloomington I-35W in Bloomington I-35E in Mendota Heights US 52 in Inver Grove Heights US 10 / US 61 in Newport
East end:	I-94 / I-694 in Woodbury/Oakdale
Location
Counties:	Washington, Dakota, Hennepin
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Minnesota Trunk Highways Interstate US State Legislative routes ← I-394 I-535 →

Interstate 494 (I-494) is a loop route making up part of a beltway of Interstate 94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The 43-mile (69 km) road is coupled with Interstate 694 (which circles the northern edge of the Twin Cities metro area) at each end, and composes more than half of the major beltway of the region. I-694 / I-494 also act as loop routes for Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W.

I-494 has a few intersections with other interstates:

• Interstates 94 and 694 at Woodbury / Oakdale
• Interstate 35E in Mendota Heights
• Interstate 35W in Bloomington
• Interstate 394 in Minnetonka
• Interstates 94 / 694 (concurrent) in Maple Grove

The speed limit on I-494 is 60 miles per hour (100 km/h). Interstate highways outside of the loop in Minnesota may be signed as high as 70 mph (110 km/h). Most highways inside the loop are signed at speeds of 55 mph (90 km/h) or lower, though a few exceptions were added in September 2005, allowing speeds of up to 60 mph (97 km/h) in some places. Those roads had been signed at 60 mph (97 km/h) or higher up until the gasoline crisis of the 1970s.

Route description

Exit numbering of Interstate 494 is unusual in that it begins at the Minnesota River heading westbound (between Mendota Heights and Bloomington), and continues clockwise around the entire beltway. The last exit is #71 to Pilot Knob Road. The most significant landmark on the length of I-494 is Mall of America, just south of the intersection of I-494 and State Highway 77.

Legally, the route of Interstate 494 is defined as part of unmarked legislative route 393 in Minnesota Statutes § 161.12(5). [1] Interstate 494 is not marked with this legislative number along the actual highway.

History

Construction on Interstate 494 first began in the late 1950s, and it was finally completed in 1985. Upgrades continue to be made to widen Interstate 494 to at least three lanes in each direction.

Expansion of the Wakota Bridge between Newport and South St. Paul over the Mississippi River was completed in the summer of 2010. The bridge is named so because it connects Washington County and Dakota County. Near the end of this effort, Interstate 494 was widened from two to three lanes between Lake Road and I-94 in Woodbury.

A major reconstruction / widening project of I-494 was completed in fall 2006 between U.S. Highway 212 / State Highway 5 in Eden Prairie and Carlson Parkway at Minnetonka / Plymouth. Plans for up to six lanes in each direction for parts of I-494 in Bloomington are proposed but not yet funded.

494 Corridor Commission

The 494 Corridor Commission, also known as 494 Commuter Services, is a non-profit organization aimed at reducing traffic congestion along the southwest section of the Interstate 494 corridor. In 1988, the cities of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Minnetonka, and Richfield joined together to address traffic congestion and work towards improving I-494. The organization's mission is to promote economic growth and regional prosperity through improved transportation options along the highway, such as carpooling and bus transit. The organization's board of directors consists of representatives from each of the five member cities, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Council, and the private business community.

Exit list

County	Location	mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Washington	Woodbury	58.158	93.596	58A/58B	I-94 / I-694 north – St. Paul, Madison	Continuation from I-694; signed as exits 58A (west) and 58B (east); I-94 exit 249.
		58.999	94.950	58C	Tamarack Road
		59.852	96.322	59	Valley Creek Road
		60.690	97.671	60	Lake Road
	Newport	63.177	101.674	63A/63B	US 10 / US 61 / Bailey Road – St. Paul, Hastings	Signed as exits 63A (west/north) and 63B (east/south)
		63.408	102.045	63C	Maxwell Avenue
Dakota	South St. Paul	64.204	103.326	64A	Hardman Avenue
		64.646	104.038	64B	MN 156 (Concord Street)
		65.125– 65.251	104.809– 105.011	65	5th Avenue, 7th Avenue
	Inver Grove Heights	66.148	106.455	66	US 52 – St. Paul, Rochester
		66.391– 67.170	106.846– 108.100	67	MN 3 (Robert Street) / MN 110
	Eagan– Mendota Heights	70.049	112.733	69	MN 149 (Dodd Road) to MN 55	MN 55 crosses I-494 west of I-35E, but with no direct access
		70.815	113.966	70	I-35E – St. Paul, Albert Lea	Signed as exits 70A (north) and 70B (south); I-35E exits 99A-B
		71.906	115.721	71	CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Road)
Dakota–Hennepin county line	Eagan–Mendota Heights– Bloomington	73.021 0.000	117.516 0.000	I-494 Bridge over the Minnesota River
Hennepin	Bloomington	1.257	2.023	1A	MN 5 east / 7th Street – Terminal 1, St. Paul	Eastern end of MN 5 overlap
		1.637	2.634	1B	34th Avenue – Terminal 2	Diverging diamond interchange; METRO Blue Line light rail runs in the median of 34th Avenue
		2.355	3.790	2A	24th Avenue
	Bloomington– Richfield	2.836	4.564	2BC	MN 77 (Cedar Avenue)	Signed as exits 2B (north) and 2C (south)
		3.358– 3.856	5.404– 6.206	3	12th Avenue, Portland Avenue
		4.357	7.012	4A	Nicollet Avenue
		4.854	7.812	4B	Lyndale Avenue
		5.343	8.599	5	I-35W – Minneapolis, Albert Lea	Signed as exits 5A (north) and 5B (south); I-35W exits 9A-B
		5.851	9.416	6A	CSAH 32 (Penn Avenue)
	Bloomington	6.875	11.064	6B	CSAH 17 (France Avenue)
		7.926	12.756	7	MN 100 north / CSAH 34 (Normandale Boulevard)	Signed as exits 7A (north) and 7B (south)
		8.521	13.713	8	CSAH 28 (East Bush Lake Road)
		10.114	16.277	10	US 169	Signed as exits 10A (north) and 10B (south)
	Eden Prairie	11.659	18.763	11A	CSAH 61 (Flying Cloud Drive)
		11.923	19.188	11BC	US 212 west / MN 5 west	Western end of MN 5 overlap
		12.233	19.687	12	CSAH 39 (Valley View Road)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Minnetonka	13.899	22.368	13	MN 62 / CSAH 62
		16.267	26.179	16	MN 7	Signed as exits 16A (east) and 16B (west)
		16.970	27.311	17	Minnetonka Boulevard
		19.513	31.403	19	I-394 east / US 12 – Minneapolis, Wayzata	Signed as exits 19A (east) and 19B (west); I-394 east exit 1, west exits 1A-B
	Plymouth	20.366	32.776	20	Carlson Parkway
		21.302	34.282	21	CSAH 6
		22.272	35.843	22	MN 55
		23.522	37.855	23	CSAH 9 (Rockford Road)
	Maple Grove	26.203	42.170	26	CSAH 10 (Bass Lake Road)
		27.993	45.050	27	I-94 / I-694 east – St. Cloud	Route continues as I-694; I-94 exit 216.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Route transition

References

• Adam Froehlig (November 22, 2003). Interstate Highway 494. Interstate 494 in Minnesota. Accessed August 26, 2010.
• Interstate 494 Minnesota. Interstate-Guide.com. Accessed May 17, 2005.

External links

• Mn/DOT: Mn/DOT I-494 Reconstruction Project - from I-394 to Minnesota River