10 Month Headache Begins For Highway 169 Commuters
MINNETONKA, Minn. (WCCO) -- It's a concrete ribbon that carries 90,000 motorists through the western suburbs every day.
But suddenly, the rush of traffic is being replaced by the sounds of concrete pounded apart.
"There's no doubt it's going to be challenging," Dave Aeikens with the Minnesota Department of Transportation said.
Over the next 10 months, crews will make badly-needed improvements to a six-mile stretch of Highway 169, between Interstate 394 in Golden Valley and Bren Road, in Edina and Minnetonka. The construction will upgrade approach ramps, noise walls and resurface a large stretch of pavement.
But the centerpiece of the $64 million job is to rebuild the long causeway over Nine Mile Creek.
"It's going to take about a month to knock down the bridge and then hopefully we are ready to go this spring to start the rest of the project," Aeikens said.
Ramp closures will divert traffic off Highway 169 to ease congestion. The full closure is north of Bren Road to 7th street and Interlachen Road for the bridge work.
Already, motorists are finding their own detours and putting pressure on some residential streets.
"Everybody's got Google maps so they're going to find a way around it. We just happen to be on the route," local resident Chris Davis said.
"Oh yes, there are a lot of houses up there so and a lot of traffic so you're going to have to be careful about your speed for sure," added Charles Thompson.
Because of that concern, local police have cameras and speed guns in place - monitoring traffic flows and looking for problems. Still, most agree, a 10-month detour is the price we pay for a safer commute.
When asked for his planned detour, Ben Whitten says, "Well, I kind of hate to. It's sort of like a good fishing spot, I hate to give it away."
MnDOT has more information posted, including a map of the official detour.
