I-494 in Plymouth

Plymouth, Minnetonka, Maple Grove

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Project Purpose

 

The purpose of the project is to provide three continuous lanes (and consequently improve safety and reduce congestion) on the I-494 corridor from I-394 to the East Fish Lake Road overpass in the cities of Minnetonka, Plymouth, and Maple Grove. The goals of the project are to:

 

Description

The proposed project will construct a new travel lane on the inside shoulder of north- and
southbound I-494 from I-394 to the East Fish Lake Road overpass in the Cities of Minnetonka,
Plymouth, and Maple Grove. Auxiliary lane improvements will also be constructed in the
southbound direction at the I-494 interchange with I-394. Existing I-494 bridges over the
Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway will be redecked and widened. Existing I-494 bridges at Schmidt
Lake Road and County State Aid Hwy 47 will be either redecked and widened or
replaced. Final decisions regarding I-494 bridges will be determined during final design. The
southbound I-494 bridge at I-394 will require widening on the right shoulder. The project also
includes construction of stormwater ponds (e.g., wet detention basins, filtration/infiltration
basins) and noise barriers. All construction activity is anticipated to take place within existing I-
494 right of way.

A number of existing bridges in the corridor are programmed to be redecked by 2014 (see
“Proposed Project Schedule” below). The project described in the EA/EAW and this Findings of
Fact and Conclusions (FOF&C) will determine the cost and impacts of adding managed or
general purpose capacity in conjunction with the proposed bridge work. Geometrics of the
proposed project will be refined further as the project approaches letting.

The proposed project has been developed such that it would facilitate additional capacity as a
managed (MnPASS) lane or a temporary general purpose lane to be converted to a managed
(MnPASS) lane at a future date.1 This proposed project would not preclude other lower-cost
management or operational investments that may occur including those that might utilize the
shoulders in this corridor. The proposed project will add a new 14-foot lane in both the north and
southbound directions on I-494. This proposed lane width is consistent with current design
standards, and would provide a 12 foot travel lane with a two foot buffer between a MnPASS
lane and the adjacent existing general purpose lane.

The timing and implementation of a managed (MnPASS) lane would occur only after an analysis
by Mn/DOT which demonstrates the following:

  1. That certain congestion levels exist on the corridor between I-394 and Fish Lake; and,
  2. That a managed (MnPASS) lane at least four (4) miles in length can be included in MnDOT’s 10-year highway investment plan on I-494 south of I-394 or on I-94 north of the Fish Lake Interchange.

 

 

Project Schedule

Environmental Assessment Comment Period:  December 13, 2010 through January 26, 2011
Public Open House for Environmental Assessment: January 12, 2011

Negative Declaration /Finding of Fact and Conclusions (FOF&C): distributed November 1, 2011

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI): November 1, 2011
Environmental Process Completed: Fall 2011
Geometric Layout Completed: Spring 2011
Project Letting:  Not Currently Programmed