"Do the zipper merge" (Minneapolis, St. Paul: legal, stats, rich)

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

Actually I-494 at least has congestion most of the day, every day of the week, in three or four particular areas:

1. at France Ave (Eastbound)
2. at Portland Ave (Westbound)
3. at I-35W (Westbound)
4. at Cedar Ave (Eastbound)

Traffic can slow to a screetching halt at any of those areas and France Ave usually has congestion that stretches for at least 1 mile behind it most of the daylight hours any day of the week (and beyond in winter, because daylight hours are minimal and holiday shopping).

Except right now, all of those areas are under construction or some kind or ramps are closed for construction on nearby roads causing a lot of issues. I go through there frequently at about 9:30 am and 3:00 PM and traffic is free flowing even through the construction zones. I've been through those spots at least 3 days/week for the past 2 months with no issues. When I've had to go during rush hour, different story, but still moving along at about 45 mph with the occasional slam on the breaks because some idiot pulls into a "faster" moving lane .

MnDot is also adding a rapid bus lane to Cedar right now--causing a lot of traffic issues and back ups-posted speed limit is 50 and traffic moves along at or close to that once people get past the merge point.

This 55 in a 60 "issue" is why I say that traffic in the Twin Cities doesn't exist. That is not a traffic jam. Try going to LA where it takes 90 minutes to go 20 miles and you are completely stopped in traffic for much of that time.

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

I've been to LA, and hope the Twin Cities never builds itself into that kind of mess!

If I-494 is under construction and there are detours posted that may explain why traffic levels are lower right now (people are finding other routes to and fro). When I lived in the area as recent as early last year there were slow-downs on I-494 almost every day, no matter the time. I remember this explicitly because my in-laws came in from out of town to visit and they kept asking me if this was normal (meaning, why are we slowing down in the middle of the day on a Sunday?).

[knke0204]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

I was almost 100% certain MNDOT was in the process of widening I-494 in Bloomington from I-35W to Hwy. 100.........right now. The goal is to add a lane in each direction in that stretch, as well as I-35W to 34th St near the MN River. I also thought they were currently studying what kind of flyover they want to construct at I-35W and I-494, and depending on the outcome of that study we may know how many lanes we could fit under that new structure (4, 5 or 6 in each direction). Maybe I'm wrong.....

Those must be already approved or started projects. I do know that there are no plans of adding additional lanes to metro interstates in the future. Transportation planners tend to believe that more lanes encourages automobile use. It seems like the Met Council and MnDot are more set on increasing bus routes, rail lines and other alternatives.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

I've been to LA, and hope the Twin Cities never builds itself into that kind of mess!

If I-494 is under construction and there are detours posted that may explain why traffic levels are lower right now (people are finding other routes to and fro). When I lived in the area as recent as early last year there were slow-downs on I-494 almost every day, no matter the time. I remember this explicitly because my in-laws came in from out of town to visit and they kept asking me if this was normal (meaning, why are we slowing down in the middle of the day on a Sunday?).

No detours, just working on the bridges and ramps. I will give you that there are slow downs--from 70 down to the posted speed limit of 60, maybe 55 if it is bad

[iNviNciBL3]

I was just on a new flyover ramp on 494-169, wow those are great. So glad they are redoing that interchange. 494 was a mess, traffic was moving but the freeway was very narrow at parts, are they adding lanes or something?

[sondra_finchley]

Originally Posted by RC01

First, I don't know anyone who lives in a big city that complains about traffic going 5 mph under the speed limit!! second, if traffic is moving 55 mph and you can't find a spot to pass someone going slow, than you are a bad driver and should not be complaining about yourself. 55 mph would be a blessing during rush hour!!

End rant

A lot of times we get "stuck" because we are coming over the river on 35E and with the two lane stretch for several miles, if people in BOTH lanes decide they want to go 5 under the limit, you are screwed. You have to wait until it widens for folks to move over (they won't) or go around them. Or, my favorite move, the one in the far left lane cuts across everyone because they realized they almost missed their exit because they were dicking around on their phone.

Someone explain to me why the speed limit is 70, then 60, then 55, then 45 coming into St Paul on 35E where it crawls along for no discernible reason. This screwed EVERYONE up, folks usually are riding their brakes, and everything gets gummed up for no reason whatsoever. This isn't some country lane, this is an Interstate.

I miss driving in Illinois- their state troopers don't seem to give a rats ass how fast you are going, people know the drill and know how to drive, and somehow, someway it all works on nice big WIDE interstates.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by sondra_finchley

A lot of times we get "stuck" because we are coming over the river on 35E and with the two lane stretch for several miles, if people in BOTH lanes decide they want to go 5 under the limit, you are screwed. You have to wait until it widens for folks to move over (they won't) or go around them. Or, my favorite move, the one in the far left lane cuts across everyone because they realized they almost missed their exit because they were dicking around on their phone.

Someone explain to me why the speed limit is 70, then 60, then 55, then 45 coming into St Paul on 35E where it crawls along for no discernible reason. This screwed EVERYONE up, folks usually are riding their brakes, and everything gets gummed up for no reason whatsoever. This isn't some country lane, this is an Interstate.

I miss driving in Illinois- their state troopers don't seem to give a rats ass how fast you are going, people know the drill and know how to drive, and somehow, someway it all works on nice big WIDE interstates.

It's 45 through St. Paul because when they added that section the people at the top of the hill didn't want the added noise of the higher speed limits.

I've driven in Ill, it is no picnic either. Plenty of slow drivers in the left lane holding up traffic, no idea of how to merge, etc. there too.

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

I also think the I-35E thing in St. Paul has to do with what appears to be a section of that "Interstate" that was clearly once a neighborhood highway, kind of like what Hwy. 100 was in St. Louis Park before it became a major highway. It's not up to Interstate standards, and maybe that's why it's slower.

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

I also think the I-35E thing in St. Paul has to do with what appears to be a section of that "Interstate" that was clearly once a neighborhood highway, kind of like what Hwy. 100 was in St. Louis Park before it became a major highway. It's not up to Interstate standards, and maybe that's why it's slower.

Presumably--despite its history--it is up to interstate standards, since it is part of the interstate, after all. I've always understood it to be because the rich folks nearby didn't want the noise.

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by xandrex

Presumably--despite its history--it is up to interstate standards, since it is part of the interstate, after all. I've always understood it to be because the rich folks nearby didn't want the noise.

this is exactly correct and a long-winded explanation is available at Wiki... Interstate 35E (Minnesota) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

remembered being a pretty big deal when it opened in 1990 as I was working in downtown St Paul, however, I fail to recall there being commies involved which (like most everything else that commies are involved with) explains a lot...

"The 1990 opening ceremony of I-35E in downtown Saint Paul was attended by a group of highway experts from the Soviet Union, and both the US and Soviet national anthems were played."