New 494/169 Ramp Will Open Monday

Editor's Note: This news release is from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Motorists will experience a traffic change at the Highway 169/Interstate 494 interchange in Bloomington, Edina and Eden Prairie as a new flyover ramp opens and a loop ramp closes late Monday, Oct. 1.

The new flyover ramp from westbound Interstate 494 to southbound Highway 169 will open late Oct. 1, weather permitting. At that time, the current loop ramp from westbound I-494 to southbound Highway 169 will be permanently eliminated as motorists are rerouted onto the new ramp. 

The flyover ramp is one of several new freeway ramps at the interchange scheduled to open over the coming weeks. Additional ramps anticipated to open soon include the ramps from eastbound I-494 to southbound Highway 169 and the south frontage road system, and the ramp from westbound I-494 to northbound Highway 169.

The Highway 169/I-494 interchange reconstruction project includes turning the current expressway into a freeway by rebuilding the interchange with six ramps instead of eight. The performance-based design removes traffic signals, reduces congestion and improves safety.

For more information on the Highway 169/I-494 interchange reconstruction project, call the Highway 169/I-494 Project hotline at 1-877-563-4768, e-mail Hwy169-I494@rranow.com or visit http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/169/.

For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota visit www.511mn.org or dial 5-1-1.