Driving across the I-494 Minnesota River Bridge, you might not realize its significance. This bridge, completed in 1982, represents a key part of the Twin Cities’ highway system. The I-494 Minnesota River Bridge efficiently connects Bloomington, Eagan, and Mendota Heights. You’ll notice the highway mile markers here have a unique feature. I-494 and I-694 share mile markers. They don’t start where the highways meet as you might expect. Instead, mile marker zero is right here on the I-494 Minnesota River Bridge. The numbers increase as you head west past the MSP Airport. They continue to climb as you travel clockwise around the entire 494/694 loop. Before this section of I-494 opened in the mid-1980s, the route was much different. I-494 followed MN-5 past the MSP Airport. It then took MN-110 across the Mendota Bridge. Traffic rejoined I-494 west of the current US-52 interchange. From there, it continued east across the Mississippi River via the Wakota Bridge. The I-494 Minnesota River Bridge streamlines this journey, showcasing the evolution of transportation in the Twin Cities.
The Afrocentric Spectrum Mural
What whispers do the walls of a city hold? The Afrocentric Spectrum Mural, here on University Avenue, speaks volumes about