494 morning rush hour??

[BLACKJACK]

Going on a road trip later in the week, heading for Rochester and on to Milwaukee, will be traveling on 494 to 52, was wondering when traffic really picks up and when it finally settles down? Thinking about leaving home about 6 AM and going thru their at about 8 AM, how is the traffic at that time?

Thanks!!!

[Neighbor_guy]

Hahaha!!!

Can be hit or miss. Most days at 8am you could walk there faster. Be prepared to be angry and frustrated, but you will get through it.

[leech~~]

Going on a road trip later in the week, heading for Rochester and on to Milwaukee, will be traveling on 494 to 52, was wondering when traffic really picks up and when it finally settles down? Thinking about leaving home about 6 AM and going thru their at about 8 AM, how is the traffic at that time?

Thanks!!!

Your screwed at that time of day M-F! My wife goes to work and back on 494 everyday and comes home with all kinds of road stories I get to hear!

[BLACKJACK]

Ok so 8 AM is bad, give me some better times?? Before 7 AM?? Before 6 AM?? After 9 AM?? I have 450 miles to go, need to get to 90 or 94 heading east, I suppose I could take 71/14 to Rochester but would like to get on a freeway sooner rather than take 2 lanes roads all the way to Rochester.

The other alternative is 94 but taking that curvy $%#@^ thru the gut of the Cities is no fun in good traffic!!

[fivebucks]

I hit 494 at hwy 7 and go into Blmgt some days at 6 and some at 7 am. At 6 there is no problem and you will cruise through. At 7 you will see a slow down most days starting around France Ave. Some days at 7 you will slow to stop and go and other days slow down to 30-40 mph. At 8 am your trip from 212 to Mall of America could be 45 minutes. I can't speak for after 9 am but if it were me I would be on 494 by 6:30.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

6am or before

11am-2pm

7pm or later

These times seem to work fairly well. I plan my trips NEVER wanting to hit that dam traffic in the cities...My knees just can't take the stop n go.

[RebelSS]

Hwy 52 isn't TOO bad in CAWchester, worst time is around 6:30 am to 8:00 am around the 19th st exit and the 2nd St exit, all the Mayobots going to work. You really should be able to pretty much zoom right through...

[BLACKJACK]

I hit 494 at hwy 7 and go into Blmgt some days at 6 and some at 7 am. At 6 there is no problem and you will cruise through. At 7 you will see a slow down most days starting around France Ave. Some days at 7 you will slow to stop and go and other days slow down to 30-40 mph. At 8 am your trip from 212 to Mall of America could be 45 minutes. I can't speak for after 9 am but if it were me I would be on 494 by 6:30.

Thanks fivebucks!!! Thats the info I was looking for!! I didn't want to start the trip on a sleep deficit but now it looks like I'll be setting the alarm for 4 and on the road by 4:30!!!

[Farley]

why go through the metro at all? 71 to 19 looks like a nice cruise through the countryside. 19 is pretty straight and not many towns at all.

[cylinder]

why go through the metro at all? 71 to 19 looks like a nice cruise through the countryside. 19 is pretty straight and not many towns at all.

I agree with this. or go down to Hwy 14.

[nofishfisherman]

By consulting google maps it looks like the 494 route would take you roughly 7 hours 23 minutes assuming good traffic conditions (don't expect them).

If you go down to 14 near New Ulm and take that all the way through Rochester it would take roughly 7 hours 19 minutes and you'd avoid the Twin Cities and its rush hour traffic all together.

Seems like a no brainer to me.

[BLACKJACK]

why go through the metro at all? 71 to 19 looks like a nice cruise through the countryside. 19 is pretty straight and not many towns at all.

I used to live in Rochester and took the cross-country route between there and Hutchinson many times - Glencoe, New Prague, Lonsdale, Northfield, Kenyon, Dodge Center, and it IS a scenic drive but after I get to Rochester I still have another 5 hours to go, was hoping to make a little better time on the four lane highways.

They have been working on 14, making parts of it 4 lane, I suppose we could noodle down to Mankato and then head east.

[BLACKJACK]

By consulting google maps it looks like the 494 route would take you roughly 7 hours 23 minutes assuming good traffic conditions (don't expect them).

If you go down to 14 near New Ulm and take that all the way through Rochester it would take roughly 7 hours 19 minutes and you'd avoid the Twin Cities and its rush hour traffic all together.

Seems like a no brainer to me.

Mapquest tells me 7 hours 37 minutes/448 miles if I go 12-494-52-90.

8 hours 16 minutes/485 miles if I go 71-14-90. Not as close as your figures.

[nofishfisherman]

Mapquest tells me 7 hours 37 minutes/448 miles if I go 12-494-52-90.

8 hours 16 minutes/485 miles if I go 71-14-90. Not as close as your figures.

The route I was thinking was 71-212-4-14-90, Google maps is telling me its 7 hours 20 minutes and 462 miles. 12-494-52-90 is showing up as 452 miles. So 494 is shorter but it puts you in the the Twin Cities at rush hour.

Mapquest and Google Maps probably have slightly different ways of calculating miles and time of travel, both are really only estimates.

If you go through the Twin Cities anywhere near rush hour I'm guessing you can tack on an extra 30-45 minutes onto the estimated drive time.

[SkunkedAgain]

I drop my daughter off at daycare near Bush Lake Road (just west of Hwy 100) and then drive to the Mall of America exit, usually sometime between 8 and 8:30am. 50% of the time it is slow from Bush Lake to 35W but then clear sailing after that. I wouldn't be afraid of hitting 494 by 8:30am. You might have a bit of slow traffic but it won't be anything to make your blood boil.

[Ryan_V]

why go through the metro at all? 71 to 19 looks like a nice cruise through the countryside. 19 is pretty straight and not many towns at all.

remember though, 19 is closed at Henderson, can't get through that way.

[BLACKJACK]

remember though, 19 is closed at Henderson, can't get through that way.

I was wondering about the road thru Henderson...

[BLACKJACK]

I drop my daughter off at daycare near Bush Lake Road (just west of Hwy 100) and then drive to the Mall of America exit, usually sometime between 8 and 8:30am. 50% of the time it is slow from Bush Lake to 35W but then clear sailing after that. I wouldn't be afraid of hitting 494 by 8:30am. You might have a bit of slow traffic but it won't be anything to make your blood boil.

Good to know!!! My wife and I talked it over, we're on vacation, not getting up at O Dark Thirty, we're going to leave at about 6:30 AM which should put us there about 8:30, hopefully your prediction works out!!!

[chasineyes]

Use a MAP APP that lists traffic flows!! It will do you wonders to stay "ahead" of a potential mess.

[BLACKJACK]

Got a little late start so we cruised thru the 494 strip at 9:30 with no problem. Just like kicking into a dam antpile!!! I hug my wife everytime after i drive thru there, so glad I don't have to live in that dump!!!!!.

On another note, driving the 90/94 freeway to Lake Geneva, I can see why Wisconsin has so many deer, lots of ag fields, lots of woodlots, rolling hills, perfect deer habitat.

[ozzie]

glad to hear you made it through the cities in good time and safely! Hope your trip continues with no complications!!