ST. PAUL, Minn. — Traffic congestion on state roadways in the Twin Cities metropolitan area has increased for the first time in four years, according to the Metropolitan Freeway System 2007 Congestion Report released today by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The report, which relies on traffic data collected by sensors in the roadways, indicates that there were 305 miles of congested freeway in the Twin Cities area in 2007. Congested miles are up from 267 in 2006, 277 miles in 2005 and 280 miles in 2004. A “congested mile” is defined as a mile of traffic moving slower than 45 miles per hour.
Mn/DOT attributes much of the increase to additional traffic on Hwy.280, I-94, I-694, and I-35W following the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis on August 1, 2007, as well as the traffic impacts of construction projects on heavily traveled interstates.
"The collapse of the I-35W bridge had impacts on congestion in its immediate area and across much of the Twin Cities freeway network,” said Bernie Arseneau, Mn/DOT state traffic engineer. “However, it would have been much worse without the state’s response to restore traffic.”
Arseneau explained that Mn/DOT immediately completed several temporary projects to help minimize the effect of the collapse on congestion. They include:
- Converting Highway 280 in St. Paul and Lauderdale into a freeway
- Converting shoulders to traffic lanes on I-94 between Highway 280 and I-35W in Minneapolis
- Adding an auxiliary lane on southbound Highway 100 in Golden Valley and adding a lane to the northbound exit to eastbound I-694 in Brooklyn Center
- Adding an eastbound lane on I-694 at Highway 47 in Fridley
- Converting I-35W entrances and exits to two lanes at Fourth Avenue in Minneapolis
Significant congestion relief is anticipated with the completion of the new I-35W bridge and with major capacity improvement projects, Arseneau said. These projects include the “Unweave the Weave” project at the interchange of the I-35E and I-694 (September 2008) and the Crosstown project at I-35W and Highway 62 (December 2010).
Arseneau said that Mn/DOT plans to manage congestion on additional fronts with the Urban Partnership Agreement, a joint proposal by Mn/DOT and the Metropolitan Council to improve transit use and traffic speed on I-35W and Highway 77 from Minneapolis to the southern suburbs. The proposal includes bus rapid transit, park-and-ride lots, a high-occupancy toll lane similar to I-394's MnPASS lane and the promotion of telecommuting.
Related information:
###
Go to Top |
