A police chase that ended in a crash slowed westbound traffic on westbound Interstate Hwy. 494 in South St. Paul early this morning.

The chase began before 5 a.m. in Inver Grove Heights after the State Patrol stopped the truck for a traffic violation on a residential street, said a spokeswoman for the Dakota County Sheriff's Department.

The truck driver drove off and led police first along northbound Hwy. 52 to I-494, then eastbound toward the Concord Street exit, said Tom Heininger, spokesman for the Regional Traffic Management Center in Roseville.

The State Patrol troopers were joined by police squads from Inver Grove Heights. They were able to force the fleeing truck off the highway at the Concord exit, but it sped to the westbound ramp and back onto I-494, Heininger said.

The officers used their cars to finally force the truck off the highway near the Fifth/Seventh Street exit.

"It was well orchestrated," Heininger said.

No serious injuries were reported.

Crews cleared the scene by about 7 a.m. The truck and at least two of the seven squad cars involved in the chase were towed away.

Elsewhere on the highway system, the morning rush hour closed today in the Twin Cities with mostly light traffic levels mixed with several heavier areas.

Commuters faced late rush hour congestion on westbound Interstate Hwy. 494 at I-35W, northbound I-35W from 66th St. to 46th St. and again from Lake St. to I-94.

The remainder of the metro freeway system moved smoothly with lighter levels and speeds at the posted.

There were no accidents at the time, according to MnDOT.

Today's forecast calls for patchy fog early then otherwise cloudy with a high near 38. Calm wind becoming north northwest between 8 and 11 miles per hour.

Tonight will be cloudy then gradually becoming partly cloudy with a low around 25. North northwest wind around 8 miles per hour.

Brad Stokman • bstokman@startribune.com