Contacts
- J.P. Gillach
651-234-7503
Location
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Metro District
Office of Communications
1500 County Rd B2 West
Roseville, MN 55113
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Twin Cities Metro Freeway Congestion Decreased in 2011
ROSEVILLE, Minn. — Twin Cities Metropolitan Area freeway traffic congestion decreased between 2010 and 2011, from 21.5 percent to 21.0 percent overall.
Many factors affect congestion levels, including the health of the local economy, population growth, gas prices, transit ridership and vehicle miles traveled.
Mn/DOT’s strategy for addressing congestion includes operational answers, such as new legislation to clear traffic incidents more quickly, electronic message signs, ramp meters and real-time travel information.
In addition, “Mn/DOT continues to work closely with the Metropolitan Council and other partners to continue to provide a safe, reliable and modern transportation system,” said Scott McBride, Metro District Engineer.
“Cost-effective construction projects, high-occupancy voluntary toll lanes, expanded park-and-ride lots, bus shoulder bypass lanes and bus rapid transit projects all add to the decrease,” he said.
Highway construction projects completed in the recent past have helped address congestion at various locations. Some of the projects include the following:
- I-35W/Crosstown reconstruction project in Minneapolis and Richfield
- The Hwy 169/County Road 81 interchange reconstruction in Brooklyn Park and Osseo
- Completion of the I-35W Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) project, which includes areas of increased capacity as High Occupancy Toll lanes
Other projects to be completed in the near future include the following:
- Resurfacing and the addition of I-94 Intelligent Lane Control Signals (ILCS) between Minneapolis and St. Paul, similar to the I-35W ILCS project between downtown Minneapolis and Burnsville http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/i94resurfacing/index.html
- The Hwy 169/I-494 interchange reconstruction in Bloomington, Edina and Eden Prairie http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/169/
- The I-35E reconstruction and bridge replacement project between University Ave. and Maryland Ave. in St. Paul (begins Fall 2012) http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/cayuga/index.html
- The Hwy 52/Lafayette Bridge replacement project east of downtown St. Paul http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/hwy52-stpaul/
View the complete 2011 Metropolitan Freeway System Congestion Report.
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