Interstate 494
Interstate 494 (I-494) is a loop route making up part of a beltway of Interstate 94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The 43-mile (69 km) road is coupled with Interstate 694 (which circles the northern edge of the Twin Cities metro area) at each end, and composes more than half of the major beltway of the region. I-694 / I-494 also act as loop routes for Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W.
I-494 has a few intersections with other interstates:
Interstates 94 and 694 at Woodbury / Oakdale
Interstate 35E in Mendota Heights
Interstate 35W in Bloomington
Interstate 394 in Minnetonka
Interstates 94 / 694 (concurrent) in Maple Grove
The speed limit on I-494 is 60 miles per hour (100 km/h). Interstate highways outside of the loop in Minnesota may be signed as high as 70 mph (110 km/h). Most highways inside the loop are signed at speeds of 55 mph (90 km/h) or lower, though a few exceptions were added in September 2005, allowing speeds of up to 60 mph (97 km/h) in some places. Those roads had been signed at 60 mph (97 km/h) or higher up until the gasoline crises of the 1970s.
I-494 has a few intersections with other interstates:
Interstates 94 and 694 at Woodbury / Oakdale
Interstate 35E in Mendota Heights
Interstate 35W in Bloomington
Interstate 394 in Minnetonka
Interstates 94 / 694 (concurrent) in Maple Grove
The speed limit on I-494 is 60 miles per hour (100 km/h). Interstate highways outside of the loop in Minnesota may be signed as high as 70 mph (110 km/h). Most highways inside the loop are signed at speeds of 55 mph (90 km/h) or lower, though a few exceptions were added in September 2005, allowing speeds of up to 60 mph (97 km/h) in some places. Those roads had been signed at 60 mph (97 km/h) or higher up until the gasoline crises of the 1970s.