MnDOT needs Albertville's consent to build third lane on I-94

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has the money in hand to build a third lane on Interstate 94 between Monticello and Albertville and hopes to get started on the project this summer.

But MnDOT needs the city of Albertville to approve before it can start accepting bids for the project that would add an additional eastbound lane from Hwy. 25 to Wright County Road 19 and a third westbound lane from Wright County Road 37 to Hwy. 25.

"We support the additional lanes," said Albertville City Manager Adam Nafstad. "We are asking for some modifications to be included in the project."

MnDOT plans to widen the westbound I-94 bridge over County Road 19 to three lanes when the additional travel lane is added. Nafstad said Albertville is hoping that bridge could have a fourth lane to receive traffic merging onto the freeway.

Motorists now accessing westbound I-94 from County Road 37 drive about a half-mile on a collector ramp adjacent to I-94 connecting County 37 with County 19. Motorists then pass through a signalized intersection at County 19 before entering the freeway.

Nafstad said the city is asking MnDOT for a bridge that would connect the collector ramp directly to I-94 and feed into the new widened bridge at County 19, allowing motorists from County 37 to bypass the signalized intersection near a busy outlet mall and eliminate the need to mingle with drivers getting on at County 19.

"That is consistent with the vision for this interchange," Nafstad said.

"It's the main reason the two entities are not on the same page," Nafstad said. "It seems to be the best time and opportunity to implement it. We don't want to miss this opportunity."

Albertville also wants MnDOT to build a dedicated right-turn lane from County Road 19 to eastbound I-94 and put in a center-median turnaround so emergency vehicles don't have to travel seven miles to Monticello to turn around.

MnDOT project manager Darren Nelson said the agency is working with the city to see if it can meet Albertville's desires. That is tricky, Nelson added, because none of Albertville's wants and demands is actually on their own road system or property.

"We are actively working through this issue," Nelson said.

Albertville's approval is required because the project will increase the highway's traffic capacity. Currently the two-lane freeway carries about 58,000 to 66,000 vehicles a day, according to MnDOT traffic counts. Congestion is common during peak travel periods, particularly on summer weekends.