BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Congestion relief is coming for what's been deemed the "busiest intersection in Minnesota."
On Tuesday, MnDOT awarded $204 million toward improvements for Interstate 35W and I-494 across Bloomington, Edina and Richfield, which includes a $70 million project to ease congestion on one of the worst bottlenecks in the state.
Yes, the interchange of 494 at 35W near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Mall of America.
The interchange was built in 1959 and was named the 17th worst bottleneck in the U.S. by the Federal Highway Administration. Transportation officials say an estimated 290,000 vehicles pass through the interchange on the border of Richfield and Bloomington each day.
The project includes a "turbine interchange" that will be constructed in phases. Phase 1 includes making temporary lanes to accommodate rerouted traffic, rebuilding the 82nd Street bridge over I-35W, and constructing access from northbound I-35W to westbound I-494.
"These projects will ease frustration for hundreds of thousands of commuters and improve commerce for the region by updating an interchange that has been in dire need of improvement for many years," Bloomington Mayor Gene Winstead stated.
Additional information can be found here.
MnDOT officials say $134 million of the state's Corridors of Commerce project will be used for improvements to I-494 from France Avenue to Highway 77 east and from Highway 77 to I-35W west. MnPASS lanes will be added in both directions.
