User:N. Paul Inast/sandbox2

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Interstate 494 (abbreviated I-494 or simply 494) is part of a beltway of Interstate 94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The 43-mile (69 km) road is coupled with Interstate 694 (which goes to the north) at each end, and composes more than half of the major beltway of the region. This is apparently the only interstate highway loop in the United States that has separately-numbered sections (the Twin Cities region also has an east/west-split in Interstate 35, similar to the Dallas/Fort-Worth area). I-494 and I-694 also act as loop routes for Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W.

The highway has a few intersections with other interstates:
 * Interstate 94 and I-694 in Woodbury/Oakdale
 * Interstate 35E in Mendota Heights, Minnesota
 * Interstate 35W in Bloomington, Minnesota
 * Interstate 394 in Minnetonka, Minnesota
 * Interstate 94/I-694 (twinned) in Maple Grove, Minnesota

Exit numbering is unusual in that it begins at the Minnesota River heading westbound (between Bloomington and Mendota Heights), and continues clockwise around the entire beltway. The last exit is #71 to Pilot Knob Road. The most significant landmark on the length of I-494 is the Mall of America, just south of the intersection of I-494 and Minnesota State Highway 77.

For the most part, the speed limit is 60 miles per hour (100 km/h). Interstate highways outside of the loop in Minnesota may be signed as high as 70 mph (110 km/h). Within the loop, most highways are signed at speeds of 55 mph (90 km/h) or lower, though a few exceptions were added in September 2005, allowing speeds of up to 60 mph in some places. Those roads had been signed at 60 mph or higher up until the gasoline crises of the 1970s.

Construction on the road first began in the late 1950s, and it was finally completed by about 1985. Upgrades continue to be made to widen the road to at least three lanes in each direction, including construction of the Wakota Bridge (named because it connects Washington County and Dakota County) over the Mississippi River. Also a major reconstruction/widening project is underway between Minnesota State Highway 5 West/U.S. Highway 212 East (Exits 11B and C) and Carlson Parkway (Exit 20).

External link

 * Mn/DOT: I-494 Reconstruction

Exit table
{| class=wikitable !colspan=7|

Minnesota
!№ !Mile !Exit eastbound !Exit westbound !City !Interchange type !Notes !colspan=7|Mississippi River (Wakota Bridge) !colspan=7|Minnesota River
 * 58A
 * rowspan=2|BEGIN [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] South (END [[Image:I-694.svg|20px]])
 * [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] I-94 West Saint Paul
 * bgcolor=ddddff rowspan=2|Oakdale
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf
 * 58B
 * [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] I-94 East Madison
 * 58C
 * colspan=2|Tamarack Rd
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=3|Woodbury
 * folded diamond
 * no exit number indicated on MnDOT official map 2004; 58C a guess
 * 59
 * colspan=2|Valley Creek Rd
 * diamond
 * 60
 * colspan=2|Century Ave
 * folded diamond
 * 63A
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_10.svg|20px]] [[Image:US_61.svg|20px]] US 10 West US 61 North  Saint Paul
 * bgcolor=ddddff rowspan=3|Newport
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf (?)
 * 63B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_10.svg|20px]] [[Image:US_61.svg|20px]] US 10 East US 61 South  Hastings
 * 63C
 * 4th Ave
 * half diamond
 * 60
 * colspan=2|Century Ave
 * folded diamond
 * 63A
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_10.svg|20px]] [[Image:US_61.svg|20px]] US 10 West US 61 North  Saint Paul
 * bgcolor=ddddff rowspan=3|Newport
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf (?)
 * 63B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_10.svg|20px]] [[Image:US_61.svg|20px]] US 10 East US 61 South  Hastings
 * 63C
 * 4th Ave
 * half diamond
 * 63B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_10.svg|20px]] [[Image:US_61.svg|20px]] US 10 East US 61 South  Hastings
 * 63C
 * 4th Ave
 * half diamond
 * 63C
 * 4th Ave
 * half diamond
 * 4th Ave
 * half diamond
 * half diamond
 * 64A
 * colspan=2|Hardman Ave
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=4|South Saint Paul
 * folded diamond
 * 64B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-156.svg|20px]] MN 156/Concord Blvd
 * folded diamond
 * 64C
 * 4th Ave/7th Ave
 * rowspan=2|diamond w/frontage road
 * 65
 * 7th Ave/4th Ave
 * 66
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_52.svg|20px]] US 52/Lafayette Frwy
 * bgcolor=ddddff rowspan=3|Inver Grove Heights
 * cloverleaf with collector-distributor lane
 * rowspan=2|67
 * [[Image:MN-110.svg|20px]] [[Image:MN-3.svg|20px]] MN 110/MN 3 Mendota Rd/Robert St
 * directional Y leading to folded diamond with [[Image:MN-3.svg|20px]]
 * [[Image:MN-3.svg|20px]] MN 3 TO [[Image:MN-110.svg|20px]] MN 110 Robert St
 * half diamond
 * 69
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-149.svg|20px]] MN 149 TO [[Image:MN-55.svg|20px]] MN 55 Dodd Rd
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=5|Eagan
 * folded diamond
 * 70
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E Saint Paul Albert Lea
 * rowspan=3|cloverstack, flyover from WB [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] to SB [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]]
 * 70A
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E North Saint Paul
 * 70B
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E South Albert Lea
 * 71
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 31/Pilot Knob Rd.
 * folded diamond
 * [[Image:MN-110.svg|20px]] [[Image:MN-3.svg|20px]] MN 110/MN 3 Mendota Rd/Robert St
 * directional Y leading to folded diamond with [[Image:MN-3.svg|20px]]
 * [[Image:MN-3.svg|20px]] MN 3 TO [[Image:MN-110.svg|20px]] MN 110 Robert St
 * half diamond
 * 69
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-149.svg|20px]] MN 149 TO [[Image:MN-55.svg|20px]] MN 55 Dodd Rd
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=5|Eagan
 * folded diamond
 * 70
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E Saint Paul Albert Lea
 * rowspan=3|cloverstack, flyover from WB [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] to SB [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]]
 * 70A
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E North Saint Paul
 * 70B
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E South Albert Lea
 * 71
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 31/Pilot Knob Rd.
 * folded diamond
 * 70
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E Saint Paul Albert Lea
 * rowspan=3|cloverstack, flyover from WB [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] to SB [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]]
 * 70A
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E North Saint Paul
 * 70B
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E South Albert Lea
 * 71
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 31/Pilot Knob Rd.
 * folded diamond
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E North Saint Paul
 * 70B
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E South Albert Lea
 * 71
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 31/Pilot Knob Rd.
 * folded diamond
 * [[Image:I-35E.svg|20px]] I-35E South Albert Lea
 * 71
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 31/Pilot Knob Rd.
 * folded diamond
 * 71
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 31/Pilot Knob Rd.
 * folded diamond
 * folded diamond
 * 1
 * [[Image:MN-5.svg|20px]] MN 5 East 34th Ave S MSP Airport Terminals
 * bgcolor=ddddff rowspan=16|Bloomington
 * rowspan=3|semi-directional Y integrated with diamond at 34th Ave
 * Use [[Image:MN-5.svg|20px]] for Lindbergh (Main) Terminal; 34th for Humphrey Terminal
 * 1
 * [[Image:MN-5.svg|20px]] MN 5 East MSP Airport Lindbergh Terminal Saint Paul
 * 2A
 * 34th Ave S MSP Airport Humphrey Terminal
 * 2B
 * colspan=2|24th Ave S
 * SPUI
 * rowspan=2|Use exits 2B or 2C for Mall of America
 * 2C
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-77.svg|20px]] MN 77 Cedar Ave
 * cloverstack
 * rowspan=2|3
 * 12th Ave S/Portland Ave S
 * rowspan=2|diamond w/frontage road
 * Portland Ave S/12th Ave S
 * 4B
 * colspan=2|Nicollet Ave S
 * diamond
 * 5A
 * colspan=2|[[Image:I-35W.svg|20px]] I-35W North Minneapolis
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf
 * 5B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:I-35W.svg|20px]] I-35W South Albert Lea
 * 6A
 * colspan=2|Penn Ave S
 * diamond
 * 6B
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 17/France Ave S
 * diamond?
 * 7A
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-100.svg|20px]] MN 100 North
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf
 * 7B
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 34/Normandale Blvd
 * 8
 * East Bush Lake Rd
 * half diamond
 * 10
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_169.svg|24px]] US 169
 * parclo or cloverleaf w/ c-d lanes?
 * 11A
 * Prairie Center Dr [[Image:US_212.svg|24px]] US 212 West Flying Cloud Dr
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=5|Eden Prairie
 * two half diamonds
 * 11B
 * [[Image:US_212.svg|24px]] US 212 East
 * [[Image:US_212.svg|24px]] US 212
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf
 * 11C
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-5.svg|20px]] MN 5 West
 * TO [[Image:MN-312.svg|20px]] (Future [[Image:US_212.svg|20px]])
 * 12
 * County Rd. 39/Valley View Rd
 * half diamond
 * 13
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-62.svg|20px]] MN 62/County Rd. 62
 * diamond
 * 16A
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-7.svg|20px]] MN 7 East
 * bgcolor=ddddff rowspan=5|Minnetonka
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf?
 * 16B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-7.svg|20px]] MN 7 West
 * 17
 * colspan=2|Minnetonka Blvd
 * folded diamond
 * SB ramps to/from McGinty Rd
 * 19A
 * colspan=2|[[Image:I-394.svg|20px]][[Image:US_12.svg|20px]] I-394/US 12 East Minneapolis
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf
 * 19B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_12.svg|20px]] US 12 West Wayzata
 * colspan=2|Carlson Parkway
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=5|Plymouth
 * diamond
 * rowspan=2|According to and, these exits are unnumbered.
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 6
 * diamond
 * 22
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-55.svg|20px]] MN 55
 * diamond
 * 23
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 9/Rockford Rd
 * diamond
 * 26
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 10/Bass Lake Rd
 * diamond
 * 27
 * [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] I-94 West Saint Cloud
 * rowspan=2|BEGIN [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] South (END [[Image:I-694.svg|20px]])
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=2|Maple Grove
 * rowspan=2|Directional Y
 * rowspan=2|"Fish Lake Interchange"
 * END [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] BEGIN [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]][[Image:I-694.svg|20px]] East
 * }
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=5|Eden Prairie
 * two half diamonds
 * 11B
 * [[Image:US_212.svg|24px]] US 212 East
 * [[Image:US_212.svg|24px]] US 212
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf
 * 11C
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-5.svg|20px]] MN 5 West
 * TO [[Image:MN-312.svg|20px]] (Future [[Image:US_212.svg|20px]])
 * 12
 * County Rd. 39/Valley View Rd
 * half diamond
 * 13
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-62.svg|20px]] MN 62/County Rd. 62
 * diamond
 * 16A
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-7.svg|20px]] MN 7 East
 * bgcolor=ddddff rowspan=5|Minnetonka
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf?
 * 16B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-7.svg|20px]] MN 7 West
 * 17
 * colspan=2|Minnetonka Blvd
 * folded diamond
 * SB ramps to/from McGinty Rd
 * 19A
 * colspan=2|[[Image:I-394.svg|20px]][[Image:US_12.svg|20px]] I-394/US 12 East Minneapolis
 * rowspan=2|cloverleaf
 * 19B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_12.svg|20px]] US 12 West Wayzata
 * colspan=2|Carlson Parkway
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=5|Plymouth
 * diamond
 * rowspan=2|According to and, these exits are unnumbered.
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 6
 * diamond
 * 22
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-55.svg|20px]] MN 55
 * diamond
 * 23
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 9/Rockford Rd
 * diamond
 * 26
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 10/Bass Lake Rd
 * diamond
 * 27
 * [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] I-94 West Saint Cloud
 * rowspan=2|BEGIN [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] South (END [[Image:I-694.svg|20px]])
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=2|Maple Grove
 * rowspan=2|Directional Y
 * rowspan=2|"Fish Lake Interchange"
 * END [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] BEGIN [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]][[Image:I-694.svg|20px]] East
 * }
 * 19B
 * colspan=2|[[Image:US_12.svg|20px]] US 12 West Wayzata
 * colspan=2|Carlson Parkway
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=5|Plymouth
 * diamond
 * rowspan=2|According to and, these exits are unnumbered.
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 6
 * diamond
 * 22
 * colspan=2|[[Image:MN-55.svg|20px]] MN 55
 * diamond
 * 23
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 9/Rockford Rd
 * diamond
 * 26
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 10/Bass Lake Rd
 * diamond
 * 27
 * [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] I-94 West Saint Cloud
 * rowspan=2|BEGIN [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] South (END [[Image:I-694.svg|20px]])
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=2|Maple Grove
 * rowspan=2|Directional Y
 * rowspan=2|"Fish Lake Interchange"
 * END [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] BEGIN [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]][[Image:I-694.svg|20px]] East
 * }
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 9/Rockford Rd
 * diamond
 * 26
 * colspan=2|County Rd. 10/Bass Lake Rd
 * diamond
 * 27
 * [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] I-94 West Saint Cloud
 * rowspan=2|BEGIN [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] South (END [[Image:I-694.svg|20px]])
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=2|Maple Grove
 * rowspan=2|Directional Y
 * rowspan=2|"Fish Lake Interchange"
 * END [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] BEGIN [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]][[Image:I-694.svg|20px]] East
 * }
 * [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] I-94 West Saint Cloud
 * rowspan=2|BEGIN [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] South (END [[Image:I-694.svg|20px]])
 * bgcolor=ffdddd rowspan=2|Maple Grove
 * rowspan=2|Directional Y
 * rowspan=2|"Fish Lake Interchange"
 * END [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] BEGIN [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]][[Image:I-694.svg|20px]] East
 * }
 * END [[Image:I-494.svg|20px]] BEGIN [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]][[Image:I-694.svg|20px]] East
 * }
 * }