City of Richfield issued the following announcement on Nov. 12.
The 77th Street Underpass and the much needed improvements to I-494 that area residents have been requesting for the better part of three decades may be here sooner rather than later. But, the effort needs your help.
To improve the I-494 travel experience the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is seeking to drastically overhaul the section of the interstate that borders Richfield. The goal of the project is to provide transit advantages to increase the number of people who can effectively move through the area, improve the reliability of the average rush hour trip, improve safety, restore pavement to preserve infrastructure and provide a smoother ride.
“Almost as soon as I-494 was complete through the Richfield/Bloomington area in the late 1960s, the interstate has experienced traffic problems,” remarked Public Works Director Kristin Asher. “The road sees 500,000 passengers travel on it a day and it is congested more than 30 percent of the time. Something needs to be done to make it work better for local, regional and statewide travelers.”
Since the 1990s, the City of Richfield has made a substantial investment to its transportation infrastructure to pave the way for the I-494 improvement project. The city has spent $142 million to upgrade 76th Street, 77th Street, Penn Avenue and Lyndale Avenue Bridges.
Bloomington too has made a similar investment in its own transportation system to accommodate the future I-494 project.
The final piece that needs to be put in place prior to the start of the I-494 project is the 77th Street Underpass.
“The section of I-494 that runs along Richfield’s southern border is one of the most congested sections of interstate in the country,” explained Transportation Engineer Jack Broz. “Over the past three decades, the city has done its part to provide area travelers enhanced transportation options. The only thing left is the underpass.”
Governor Tim Walz will soon begin his annual statewide bonding tour. Both the Governor and Lt. Governor will tour projects and discuss the benefits of a state bonding package. As part of the tour, he has directed the establishment of a webpage that lists all the bonding requests submitted by local governments that allows area residents to voice their support for the various projects.
The city's number one bonding request is the 77th Street Underpass. The proposed 77th Street Underpass would connect east and west 77th Street under Cedar Avenue, eliminating a critical gap in the minor reliever network in the I-494 Corridor.
The construction of the 77th Street Underpass would complete the I-494 Ring Route, which will allow area residents to efficiently travel east and west from Bush Lake Road to 24th Avenue without the need of getting on the I-494.
“Improvements to I-494 and the addition of the 77th Street Underpass will lead to increased economic opportunities for the City of Richfield,” said Broz. “Residents will have increased access to jobs through a more efficient mass transit system, the city’s tax capacity should increase and it should lure more businesses to the area.”
The benefits area residents will experience from the overhaul of I-494 and the 77th Street Underpass include minimizing the amount of traffic diverting off of the regional transportation system onto Richfield’s local road system, better pedestrian and bicyclist crossings, and expanded transit services.
Area residents who are interested in helping bring the 77th Street Underpass to fruition are encouraged to voice their support to the Governor by visiting the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget’s Projects to Invest in Minnesota Communities webpage.
Residents can view the page at: https://bit.ly/36pmli4
“Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Legislature take citizen feedback very seriously when it comes to deciding what bonding projects to support in the coming year’s budget,” stated City Manager Katie Rodriguez. “We need Richfield residents to speak up and have their voices heard to ensure the 77th Street Underpass project is realized.” Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Richfield
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