I-494 bridge over the Minnesota River directly south-east of the MSP Airport. The Minnesota is navigable by river traffic at this point, so the west end of the bridge was raised high enough to allow small tow boats to clear at normal water levels. The first photo is looking east from the Highway 5 flyover ramp. The second photo is from the Fort Snelling State Park overlook off of old Highway 13. The bottom two photos are crossing the bridge, the third photo moving west, and the bottom photo is moving east.

The highway mile markers on this bridge are interesting, at least to the road geek. I-494 and I-694 share a common set of mile markers. These mile markers do not start where these highways meet, as expected. Rather, the zero mile marker is on I-494 at the Minnesota River. The mile markers go up as you head west past the MSP Airport and continue to climb as you travel clockwise around the 494/694 loop. The last exit heading west on I-494 before the zero marker is Exit 71, Pilot Knob Road.

Prior to this section of I-494 opening in the mid-1980's, I-494 was routed up MN-5 past the MSP Airport, then on MN-110 across the Mendota Bridge. The traffic was routed back onto I-494 just west of the present day US-52 interchange.