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Health & Fitness

MAJOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION AT 34TH AVE. AND I-494 NEAR TERMINAL 2-HUMPHREY BEGINS JUNE 28

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Andie Nelson, Neighbor

Travelers Will Need to Allow Extra Time for Commute

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL—June 18, 2013—Beginning June 28, construction of a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) will impact traffic seeking to exit or enter I-494 at 34th Ave. in Bloomington. Commuters and travelers who use the 34th Ave. ramps at I-494 should expect delays and detours, and allow for extra driving time throughout the construction process.

Led by The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the City of Bloomington and Metro Transit, the DDI project will improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and enhance safety.

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Construction will occur in five phases and will conclude in November 2013. During that time, drivers should follow the road signs to the 24th Ave. and I-494 detour.

Below is a list of upcoming construction dates and alternate traffic routes (dates are subject to change depending on weather impacts):

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  • Beginning June 28, 2013: Closure of I-494 westbound exit ramp to 34th Ave. To access 34th Ave., drivers will continue to the 24th Ave. exit off I-494 and follow Airport Lane to 34th Ave.
  • Beginning July 19, 2013: Closure of 34th Ave. entrance ramp to I-494 eastbound. From 34th Ave., drivers will take Airport Lane to 24th Ave. to the I-494 eastbound entrance.
  • Beginning Aug. 9, 2013: Closure of 34th Ave. entrance ramp to I-494 westbound. From 34th Ave., drivers will take Airport Lane to 24th Ave. and use the 24th Ave. entrance onto westbound I-494.
  • Beginning Aug. 30, 2013: Closure of I-494 eastbound exit ramp to 34th Ave. For access to 34th Ave., drivers will take the 24th Ave. exit off of I-494 and follow Airport Lane to 34th Ave.
  • Beginning Sept. 20, 2013: Full closure of 34th Ave. to through traffic under I-494 in both directions. Entrance and exit ramps for I-494 will be right-turn ONLY. Drivers should use 24th Ave. as the alternate route.
As part of the DDI construction, Metro Transit will temporarily shut down METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha) trains between Terminal 2-Humphrey Station and Mall of America Station during the following times:
  • 7:30 p.m., July 26, to 3:30 a.m., July 29
  • 12 a.m., Aug. 9, to 3:30 a.m., Aug. 12
  • 7:30 p.m., Sept. 27, to 3:30 a.m., Sept. 29
  • 11 p.m., Oct. 4, to 3:30 a.m., Oct. 7

During the closures, Blue Line buses will transport customers between the stations affected by construction. Light-rail service between airport terminals will not be affected and transportation operations will continue throughout the project. For the most up-to-date information about light-rail closures, visit the Metro Transit website at https://www.metrotransit.org/LRT-disruptions-this-summer.  

“We are working closely with MnDOT, the City of Bloomington and Metro Transit to ensure the public is properly educated and informed about project updates,” said Bridget Rief, director of airport development for the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Rief noted that the project is occurring concurrently with state Transportation Department improvements on I-494 west of MSP as well as changes to Lindau Lane in Bloomington, Minn., just south of the airport. “We encourage all airport travelers, area businesses and residents to allow extra time for their commute during construction.”

DDIs improve traffic flow at busy intersections, reduce congestion and enhance safety by allowing left turn movements to flow more freely. The DDI design is increasingly becoming a popular interchange in the U.S. The 2013 construction of the 34th Ave. DDI will be the first such U.S. project that incorporates railway commuting as well as motorist traffic. It will also mark the first DDI to debut in the Twin Cities metro area.

The 34th Ave. interchange project is part of a larger growth plan for the airport’s Terminal 2-Humphrey.

For more information, visit the project website at mspairport.com.

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About The Metropolitan Airports Commission

The Metropolitan Airports Commission, a public corporation of the state of Minnesota, owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International and six general aviation airports in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

About Minnesota Department of Transportation

For more information about the Minnesota Department of Transportation, visit http://www.dot.state.mn.us.

About The City of Bloomington

The City of Bloomington is a council-manager form of government with more than 500 full-time staff who are committed to providing quality, affordable services to the community. The City ranks with an elite few cities nationwide that hold three triple-A bond ratings from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch.

About Metro Transit

Metro Transit is a service of the Metropolitan Council. Customers boarded the agency’s buses and trains more than 81 million times in 2012.

 

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