Interstate 94 in Minnesota

Infobox road
state=MN
type=I
route=94
maint=Mn/DOT

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length_mi=259
length_round=2
length_ref=Fact|date=July 2008
established=
direction_a=West
terminus_a=Jct|state=ND|I|94 at North Dakota state line
junction=Jct|state=MN|US|75 in Moorhead
Jct|state=MN|US|59 in Fergus Falls
Jct|state=MN|US|71 in Sauk Centre
Jct|state=MN|I|35W in Minneapolis
Jct|state=MN|TH|280 in St. Paul (I-35W detour)
Jct|state=MN|I|35E in St. Paul
direction_b=East
terminus_b=Jct|state=WI|I|94 at Wisconsin state line
previous_type=MN
previous_route=93
next_type=MN
next_route=95In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 94 runs east-west through the central portion of the state.

Route description

The route enters from North Dakota at Moorhead and immediately heads southeast, passing Fergus Falls and Alexandria then bypasses St Cloud before entering the Twin Cities area.

Upon arrival to the Twin Cities, I-94 approaches first Minneapolis from the north, then turns east after passing through the Lowry Hill Tunnel and heads to St. Paul. Upon leaving St. Paul, the route exits the state into Wisconsin.

Auxiliary routes

*I-394 - Direct link between Minneapolis and western suburbs
*I-494 - Southern/western portion of beltway loop
*I-694 - Northern/eastern portion of beltway loop

Route definition in statutes

The Minnesota section of I-94 is defined as Route 392 in Minnesota Statutes § 161.12(4). [http://ros.leg.mn/bin/getpub.php?pubtype=STAT_CHAP_SEC&year=2006&section=161.12]

Exit list

Lane configurations

*3 lanes in both directions from North Dakota border to US-75 (Moorhead).
*2 lanes in both directions from US-75 to MN-101 (Rogers).
*3 lanes in both directions from MN-101 to I-494 (Maple Grove).
*4 lanes eastbound between I-494 and US 169, 4 lanes westbound between Boone Avenue and Hemlock Lane (Brooklyn Park).
*3 lanes each direction from Boone Ave to Brooklyn Blvd.
*4 lanes each direction between Brooklyn Blvd to I-94 split from I-694.
*2 lanes each direction transitioning from I-694 mainline to I-94 mainline.
*4 lanes in both directions from I-694/MN-252 to Dowling Avenue (Minneapolis).
*5 lanes (with the exception of 4 under Broadway bridge) in both directions from Dowling Avenue to I-394/US-12/Lyndale/Hennepin Aves.
*3 lanes westbound, 2 lanes eastbound until Lowry Hill Tunnel.
*3 lanes each direction from Lowry Hill tunnel to MN-280 (Saint Paul).
*4 lanes (with the exception of 3 under Snelling Avenue bridge) each direction from MN-280 to I-35E.
*3 lanes each direction from I-35E to Wisconsin border, with short segment of 5 lanes each direction between US 10/61 and Mounds Blvd.

Miscellanea

* 40 miles (64 km) north of the Twin Cities near Otsego, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) operates the Minnesota Road Research Facility, which studies the effect of traffic on various road surface types. Westbound traffic is redirected onto 3.5 miles (5.5 km) of pavement outfitted with thousands of sensors. There is a straight-through bypass (the original highway) that can be used when researchers are examining the road up close.
* U.S. 52 follows I-94 from St. Paul, Minnesota to Jamestown, North Dakota. It is very poorly signed in Minnesota, but is signed very well on maps and in North Dakota.
* U.S. 12 follows I-94 from Wisconsin Border to I-394, is signed on maps but not along the highway.
* After the I-35W Bridge collapse on August 1, 2007, the detour for I-35W follows I-94 from I-35W to Minnesota State Highway 280. The road was quickly widened by a lane in each direction for this portion to accommodate the additional traffic burden.

References