Minnesota transportation officials saw a need for speed and are increasing the limit on a stretch of freeway that connects the east metro to western Wisconsin.
The 9 miles of Interstate 94 in both directions from the St. Croix River to I-494/694 will sport a speed limit of 70 miles per hour starting Wednesday, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) announced Monday.
"This increase will provide better traffic flow between Minnesota and Wisconsin," a statement from MnDOT read.
Wisconsin recently bumped up its speed limit to 70 along I-94 on its side of the St. Croix River.
Those 9 miles are heavily traveled all days of the week, not only by those driving in and out of cities such as Woodbury and Maplewood, but also by travelers heading to their Wisconsin cabins, the Wisconsin Dells or to Chicago. Wisconsinites in Hudson and other communities on the Badger side of the border routinely stream into Minnesota for work and play.
MnDOT said its study of crash history along with "what speed drivers are currently driving, and physical attributes, such as shoulder widths and access points" found that nudging the limit up to 70 from 65 "is appropriate for this section of I-94."
Lars Impola, a MnDOT safety engineer, said the study was crucial in determining whether that stretch of interstate could "support a higher speed limit without compromising safety."
Paul Walsh
