Tougher driving ahead in NW Twin Cities as I-494 project launches

The Minnesota Department of Transportation on Monday launched an improvement project on Interstate 494 that will slow traffic and bring night and weekend lane closures through the fall.

MnDOT plans to:

• Add a third lane to I-494 between heavily traveled Highway 55 and East Fish Lake Road
• Reconstruct concrete pavement between Interstate 394 and the junction of I-494 and Interstate 694
• Replace road bridges at County Road 47 and Schmidt Lake Road as well as a Canadian Pacific railroad bridge

The $86 million project is expected to wrap up by 2017.

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