Highwood Estates Association

Highway 169 Interchange Construction Project

Project Overview

Trunk Highway 169 Interchange Construction Project: Project Overview
March 21,2002
Need for the Project

Significant delays occur at the Pioneer Trail, Anderson Lakes Parkway / Bloomington Ferry Road and Highwood Drive intersections and the Highway 169 / 1-494 interchange during both the morning and afternoon peak periods. Motorists have adjusted their travel times to avoid the worst congestion, extending congested periods to several hours in both the morning and the afternoon. As traffic levels increase generally throughout the region and development continues to occur south along Highway 169, traffic volumes in the corridor are expected to increase, further increasing delays and congestion, and extending congested periods throughout a greater portion of the day.
Project Description Mn/DOT proposes two stages of improvements for the TH 169 corridor between Old Shakopee Road and Valley View Road. Stage 1 includes construction of interchanges at the Pioneer Trail and Anderson Lakes Parkway intersections. Potential Stage 1 construction includes elimination of signals at the north end of the corridor segment with Highway 169 I 1-494 interchange improvements. Highway 169 /1-494 interchange improvements will include reconstruction of frontage roads and local streets, construction of a "flyover" ramp from westbound 1-494 to southbound Highway 169, a bridge over 1-494 at Washington Avenue, and elimination of the Highwood Drive/Highway 169 intersection. Construction of Stage 1 improvements is tentatively expected in years 2005-2007.
Stage 2 improvements include the construction of one additional traffic lane in each direction in the median of Highway 169, completion of a full directional interchange at 1-494 including a "flyover" ramp from eastbound 1-494 to northbound Highway 169, and a bridge over Highway 169 at Highwood Drive. Stage 2 improvements are not scheduled at this time.
Project Effects
Construction of Stage 1 elements will improve intersection operation, significantly reducing intersection delay. With the Stage 1 and Stage 2 improvements, traffic volumes in this segment of the corridor are expected to increase from an existing average of 55,000 -58,000 vehicles per day to an average of 94,000 -102,000 vehicles per day in 2025.
Increasing traffic volumes and higher average speeds will increase noise levels in some portions of the corridor. Additional information regarding noise impacts can be found in the handout " Summary of Noise Studies: TH 169 Interchange Construction Project" distributed tonight.
Construction of the interchanges will also affect some residential and commercial property as well as parkland from the Anderson Lakes Unit of the Highland-Bush-Anderson Lakes Park Reserve. Further information regarding these impacts is provided at the right-of-way station.
These and other impacts resulting from the project are being analyzed and will be documented in an Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared under Minnesota Environmental Quality Board, FHW A and Mn/DOT guidelines. Release of the EA for public comment is expected in May 2002. Notice of availability of the EA for public comment will be published in local newspapers and copies of the EA will be made available at local libraries.
For additional information regarding the project, please contact Wayne Norris, Mn/DOT Area Engineer at 651-582-1295 or Victoria Nill, Mn/DOT Project Manager at 651-634-2094.