Interstate 494
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Interstate 494 is a spur route of Interstate 94 circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The 43-mile (69 km) road is coupled with Interstate 694 (which goes to the north) at each end, and composes more than half of the major beltway of the region. This is apparently the only interstate highway loop in the United States that has separately-numbered sections (the Twin Cities region is also unusual for having an east/west-split in Interstate 35).
The highway has a few intersections with other interstates:
- Interstate 94 and I-694 in Woodbury/Oakdale
- Interstate 35E in Mendota Heights, Minnesota
- Interstate 35W in Bloomington, Minnesota
- Interstate 394 in Minnetonka, Minnesota
- Interstate 94/I-694 (twinned) in Maple Grove, Minnesota
Exit numbering is unusual in that it begins at the Minnesota River heading westbound (between Bloomington and Mendota Heights), and continues clockwise around the entire beltway. The last exit is #71 to Pilot Knob Road.
For the most part, the speed limit is 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h). Interstate highways outside of the loop in Minnesota may be signed as high as 70 mph (112.7 km/h), but can only reach 55 mph (88.5 km/h) inside the loop (changes are proposed as of 2005, however).
Construction on the road first began in the late 1950s, and it was finally completed by about 1985. Upgrades continue to be made to widen the road to at least three lanes in each direction, including construction of the Wakota Bridge over the Mississippi River.
References
- Adam Froehlig (November 22, 2003). Interstate Highway 494. (http://www.ajfroggie.com/roadpics/mn-ends/i494.htm) Minnesota State Highway Endings. Accessed May 17, 2005.
- Steve Riner (December 27, 2004). Details of Routes 288-694. (http://steve-riner.com/mnhighways/r288-694.htm#494) Accessed May 17, 2005.
- Interstate 494 Minnesota. (http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-494_mn.html) Interstate-Guide.com. Accessed May 17, 2005.