Drivers around the Twin Cities are staring down a packed 2026 construction season. The Minnesota Department of Transportation plans more than 200 road and bridge projects statewide and is also asking locals to weigh in on the future of I-694 between Brooklyn Center and Arden Hills. The nine-mile stretch carries heavy daily traffic and includes several spots with above-average crash rates, so any recommended changes could reshape daily commutes and neighborhood access. MnDOT has scheduled a virtual public meeting for Wednesday, Aug. 12, and is accepting online feedback through Aug. 18.
Statewide 2026 work
In a March news release, the agency laid out a 2026 construction lineup that includes just over 200 road and bridge projects plus 51 additional investments for airports, water ports, railroad crossings and transit. In the Twin Cities, the plan calls out resurfacing on Highway 280, reconstruction of Highway 12 in Wayzata and Minnetonka, a multi-year interchange project on Highway 65 in Blaine, and replacement of the I-35E bridge over Shepard Road, according to MnDOT.
MnDOT seeks community feedback on I-694
Local coverage has flagged a new MnDOT survey that invites residents, commuters and businesses to spell out their priorities for the I-694 corridor, with the study expected to affect the thousands of people who rely on the freeway every day. As reported by FOX 9, the outreach is aimed at gathering input that will guide both short-term fixes and long-term recommendations.
Meeting dates, pop-ups and the survey
MnDOT’s project page on its Let’s Talk Transportation platform lists a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 5:30 p.m., along with an online survey and interactive comment map that will stay open through Tuesday, Aug. 18. Project staff also plan to stop by community events and corridor pop-ups to collect feedback and answer questions in person. Registration details for the virtual meeting and links to the survey are posted on MnDOT’s Let’s Talk Transportation page.
Why this matters for Twin Cities commutes
The I-694 corridor is described as one of the metro’s busiest stretches, with regular slowdowns and several high-crash locations. Engineers will balance safety and multimodal connections with operational tweaks and possible capacity changes, which means drivers and nearby businesses should brace for lane shifts, detours and construction staging as plans move forward. Local reporting notes that MnDOT is factoring those disruptions into its recommendations, according to FOX 9.
How to follow the project
MnDOT says public comments will help shape the study’s recommendations and guide which improvements get funded and when they happen. For anyone who cannot join the virtual meeting, the online survey and comment map offer alternative ways to submit concerns and suggestions. As the study progresses, MnDOT plans to post updates and next steps on the project page so corridor users can track what is coming to I-694 and when.
