Heading to Alexandria 494 to 94

We are heading up tomorrow for our 25th year vacation at lake mary heard there is alot of road construction on 94 west to Alexandria and was advised to take a different route. Is this true?

check out 511mn.org. MnDOT does a decent job keeping this updated. Looks like a fair amount of construction until you make it out of the cities.

You’ll be fine, you’re leaving on a Thursday. Maple Grove to Monticello is under major construction in areas but it typically flows pretty smooth.

During any high travel times I’d say find a different route.

The exchange from 494 to 94 is a nightmare right now. Went to Alexandria last thursday and came upon the construction around 2:30pm. We finally got through i’d guess an hour later.

If I were to go again, I’d head up a different direction then cut over around Albertville or something.

94 from Maple Grove to Albertville I think is one lane, which is ridiculous. If you’re driving through there during rush hour (2pm or so – 6pm) it will take you about an hour.

AnotherFisherman wrote:

The exchange from 494 to 94 is a nightmare right now.

This! I work in Minnetonka and live in Maple Grove, and I’ve resigned myself to taking a different route. It’s brutal right now.

On I94 westbound, there is a left-exit just east of the Weaver Lake Rd. exit that will take you to St. Michael. Be aware of it or you will be stuck in the right lanes (unless you plan on exiting prior to St. Michael, in which case you will need to be in the right lanes).

The route we have taken in the past and did again just last week heading to Aitkin is 55 west off of 94 to the blacktop that runs north through Corcoran. This will dump you in Rogers. Since you are heading further NW you could probably take 55 a little longer.

If I take 55 at Plymouth to 25 and hit 94 at Monticello will that be safe

55 west to Buffalo then 25 north to 94W would be alright.

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

55 west to Buffalo then 25 north to 94W would be alright.

x3, but can we delete this thread now that Craig has his directions? We don’t need everyone going that way…

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ralph Wiggum wrote:</div>
55 west to Buffalo then 25 north to 94W would be alright.

x3, but can we delete this thread now that Craig has his directions? We don’t need everyone going that way…

Also don’t need all these people finding Alexandria…
DT

Thanks guys if I new how to delete it I would.

BigWerm wrote:

x3, but can we delete this thread now that Craig has his directions? We don’t need everyone going that way…

Good point. One of the best parts of our cabin is that it’s straight west so I normally avoid I94.:)

Can I ask if anyone even knows what they’re doing to 94 in Maple Grove? Putting a median barrier in? The actual road surface seemed pretty good to me and there doesn’t appear to be enough room to add another lane…

gimruis wrote:

Can I ask if anyone even knows what they’re doing to 94 in Maple Grove? Putting a median barrier in? The actual road surface seemed pretty good to me and there doesn’t appear to be enough room to add another lane…

Good question. I know they’re putting a third lane in between St Michael and Albertville, but they should have thought ahead and completed that a few years back when they put the third lane in between Rogers and St Michael.

I think they’re doing something with that exit ramp at St Michael too. It gets so far backed up now that vehicles are almost sitting on 94 waiting to exit. Again, they should have thought about that during the last construction project on 94 in St Michael.

I can tell pretty easily that the eastbound side going from Rogers to Maple Grove is pretty much done. Its brand new concrete and a new asphalt shoulder. During the winter it was pretty much wide open and smooth sailing. Maybe they are finishing the west bound side this summer?

Use google maps on your phone! It will tell you the fastest time to your destination and route you around any very slow areas.

They have loads of data from moving phones all along roads.

In my experience it is rarely off by more than a couple minutes and I use it very often.

slawrenz wrote:

Use google maps on your phone

Be careful about that as its against the law to actually hold your phone while you’re driving, not to mention how unsafe it is using an application to find a better route on google maps. You need a hands-free way to do this sort of thing unless you have a passenger that can do it.

gimruis wrote:

Can I ask if anyone even knows what they’re doing to 94 in Maple Grove? Putting a median barrier in? The actual road surface seemed pretty good to me and there doesn’t appear to be enough room to add another lane…

They’re adding more lanes from Maple Grove to St Cloud and doing it in stages that are supposed to take 2 years each to complete.

Pat K wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gimruis wrote:</div>
Can I ask if anyone even knows what they’re doing to 94 in Maple Grove? Putting a median barrier in? The actual road surface seemed pretty good to me and there doesn’t appear to be enough room to add another lane…

They’re adding more lanes from Maple Grove to St Cloud and doing it in stages that are supposed to take 2 years each to complete.

??hmm… Have only heard they’re adding a third lane between St Michael and Albertville.

Here is all the info: I94 Project

Summary of work:

Reconstruct roads
9 miles between Maple Grove and Rogers (2020-2021)
6 miles between St. Michael and Albertville (2019-2021)
15 miles between Monticello and Clearwater (2019-2021)

Add lanes
Add a lane on I-94 in both directions between Hwy 610 in Maple Grove and Hwy 101 in Rogers (total of four each way)
Add a lane on WB I-94 between Hwy 241 in St. Michael and Wright Co. Rd. 37 in Albertville and add a lane on EB I-94 between Hwy 241 in St. Michael and Wright Co. Rd. 19 in Albertville (total of three each way)
Add a lane on I-94 in both directions between Hwy 25 in Monticello and Hwy 24 in Clearwater (total of three each way)

Build interchanges and construct bridges
Build a diverging diamond interchange, trails and sidewalks southeast of Brockton Ln. in Dayton
Replace Hwy 241 bridge over I-94 in St. Michael and improve access
Construct roundabout at Hwy 241 and O’Day Ave. in St. Michael
Replace I-94 bridges over Co. Rd. 19 in Albertville and improve access

Add freight improvements
Add 10 parking spaces in Elm Creek Rest Area
Install digital signage system with real-time availability of Elm Creek Rest Area spaces
Improve the parking lot and sidewalks at the Enfield Rest Area
Improve and increase lanes for smoother merging and exiting

The exit ramps from 494 N to 55 and Bass Lake Road west are backed up well onto the highway now own Friday evenings. Just as an indicator of how many people are following what there GPS tells them and avoiding 94W at Maple Grove.

Thanks Ralph guess that pretty much clears it up. 4 lanes between 610 and Rogers each direction.

queenswake wrote:

Just as an indicator of how many people are following what there GPS tells them and avoiding 94W at Maple Grove.

Yeah, I believe that. We generally run back roads from our place in MG out to Buffalo, and there’s even been more Friday traffic on those roads this summer, and 55 is busy well west of Buffalo, which is unusual.