MnDOT Announces $400M 'Corridors Of Commerce' Projects

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Department of Transportation is announcing more than $400 million in new road construction.

The stretch along Interstate 494 in Bloomington is one area that west metro commuters know well. It's often packed with cars, semis and trucks during afternoon and evening hours. Now we're learning more about MnDOT's plans to make it less congested.

The first project will begin in the north Metro -- $157 million will go to convert Highway 169 in Elk River to a freeway. I-94 will also be expanded from four to six lanes from St. Michael to Albertville.

This $56 million project should help cut down on congestion -- a MnPASS lane will be built on I-494 from France Avenue to Highway 77.

This will cost $134 million and should help dramatically during rush hour -- Interchange improvements are also on the way to 494 from Bush Lake Road to Interstate 35W.

Also, $70 million in funding will include a directional ramp for northbound Interstate 35W to westbound I-494 traffic. It's meant to improve interstate capacity and reduce crashes.

This "Corridors of Commerce" program was spearheaded by Governor Mark Dayton in 2013. Since then, projects from Paynesville to Owatonna have been completed.

"All these projects are well known," MnDOT Commissioner Charlie Zelle said. "They are areas of congestion and no one will argue about their worthiness to be addressed."

From the 172 projects eligible for funding, transportation officials were able to chose these final four projects based on things like road safety and congestion. Work is expected to begin in 2020.

Last month, MnDOT announced more than a billion dollars in road and bridge construction that will be worked on this year. Those projects are on top of these ones.

If you work or live in downtown, the I-35W to I-94 project will be hard to miss this summer. There have already been many bridge and ramp closures, and more are on the way. That's all slated to wrap up in 2021.