HIGHWAYS: Minneapolis questioning lane addition to I-94

Minnesota DOT (MnDOT) is considering adding another lane to I-94 between St. Cloud and Rogers to help clear congestion between Rogers and the junction of I-94 and I-694, which sees up to 75,000 vehicles a day.

However, MnDOT and other transportation experts believe such an expansion will only increase the flow to the bottleneck by Rogers, which already has six lanes. They also believe a new lane will ease congestion only temporarily, as the new lane will invite more traffic onto the highway and will not significantly influence traffic flow in the long run.

The eventual solution may involve multiple components in addition to the added lane.  These components could include improvements to off-ramps and on-ramps as well as pay-per-mile fees that would be most expensive during rush hours.

MnDOT and local officials agree any solution should include expansion and/or added travel times to public transit such as the Northstar Commuter Rail, which could increase commuter use and reduce congestion on I-94.