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Interstate No. 94 100 live incidents

I-94: The Northern Lakes Corridor

Interstate 94 runs 1,585 miles from Billings, Montana to Port Huron, Michigan, where it ends at the Blue Water Bridge into Sarnia, Ontario. It is the northernmost coast-bound east-west interstate, paralleling I-90 across Montana, North Dakota, and the upper Midwest before taking …

100Incidents
0Alerts in its states
7States
5Hazards
I-94 crossing the North Dakota badlands between Bismarck and Theodore Roosevelt National Park
I-94 crossing the North Dakota badlands between Bismarck and Theodore Roosevelt National Park Ken Lund / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
01 Route overview

Interstate 94 runs 1,585 miles from Billings, Montana to Port Huron, Michigan, where it ends at the Blue Water Bridge into Sarnia, Ontario. It is the northernmost coast-bound east-west interstate, paralleling I-90 across Montana, North Dakota, and the upper Midwest before taking its own path across Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.

For freight, I-94 is the principal Detroit-to-Northwest corridor, the main route for Bakken oil-patch traffic in North Dakota, and the main Twin Cities-to-Chicago intermodal route. The Detroit and Chicago metro segments rank among the worst truck bottlenecks in the country on ATRI's 2024 Top 100 list, including the Chicago I-90/I-94 interchanges (where I-94 is concurrent with I-90) and the Detroit I-94/I-75 interchange.

Geographically I-94 is mostly flat, with the only significant climbs through the Badlands of western North Dakota and the rolling country of southern Wisconsin. Weather hazards are dominated by ground blizzards across the northern Plains, lake-effect snow on the Indiana-Michigan border, and occasional severe weather across Wisconsin and Minnesota.

  • Northernmost coast-bound east-west interstate
  • Crosses seven states: MT, ND, MN, WI, IL, IN, MI
  • Main Bakken oil-patch freight corridor across North Dakota
  • Concurrent with I-90 across the Dan Ryan in Chicago
  • Ends at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, one of the top US-Canada truck crossings (BTS)
  • Crosses the Mississippi River at the Twin Cities
  • Detroit segment includes the I-94/I-75 stack, among the busiest in the Midwest
02 Key cities & junctions
StateMileCity / Junction
MT MM 0 Billings (I-90 jct)
MT MM 75 Hardin
MT MM 213 Miles City
MT MM 295 Glendive
ND MM 7 Beach
ND MM 38 Medora / Theodore Roosevelt NP
ND MM 64 Dickinson
ND MM 152 Bismarck (US-83 jct)
ND MM 258 Jamestown
ND MM 351 Fargo (I-29 jct)
MN MM 12 Moorhead
MN MM 168 St. Cloud
MN MM 240 Minneapolis (I-35W jct)
MN MM 250 St. Paul (I-35E jct)
WI MM 21 Hudson
WI MM 56 Eau Claire
WI MM 143 Tomah (I-90 jct)
WI MM 240 Madison (I-39/I-90 jct)
WI MM 300 Milwaukee
WI MM 348 Kenosha
IL MM 1 Zion
IL MM 35 Chicago Edens / Dan Ryan
IN MM 0 Hammond
IN MM 21 Gary (I-65/I-80/I-90 jct)
MI MM 1 Michigan City line
MI MM 35 Benton Harbor
MI MM 110 Battle Creek
MI MM 184 Ann Arbor
MI MM 215 Detroit (I-75/I-96 jct)
MI MM 274 Port Huron / Blue Water Bridge
04 Notable hazards & trouble spots
Hazard

Whiteouts and multi-day closures

Northern Plains ground blizzards (MM 0 MT - 351 ND)

The 650-mile stretch across Montana and North Dakota is heavily exposed to winter weather. Ground blizzards drop visibility to zero in minutes, and a single 2022 storm closed nearly 500 miles of I-94 from Billings to Jamestown (FreightWaves). MDT and NDDOT regularly close the road for 24 to 72 hours during major events. Plan winter long-hauls with multiple shutdown options.

Hazard

Heavy oversize / overweight truck volume

Bakken oil traffic, ND (MM 38-152)

I-94 across western North Dakota carries enormous volumes of oilfield equipment, frac sand, and tanker traffic. Construction zones are continuous, and rural exits often have inadequate parking. Use the dedicated truck stops at Belfield, Dickinson, and Bismarck.

Hazard

Chronic urban congestion with HAZMAT restrictions

Chicago Dan Ryan / Edens (MM 35 IL - 0 IN)

I-94 through Chicago is one of the busiest urban interstates in the country. The Dan Ryan and Kennedy reversible express lanes are off-limits to commercial vehicles. HAZMAT routing requires specific bypass routes. Check Illinois Tollway and IDOT bulletins.

Hazard

Sudden squalls off Lake Michigan

Lake-effect snow, IN/MI (MM 0 IN - 35 MI)

I-94 along the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan is exposed to severe lake-effect snow squalls that can drop visibility to zero in minutes. Multi-vehicle pile-ups are routine in winter. INDOT and MDOT publish real-time alerts.

Hazard

Heavy urban congestion with ongoing reconstruction

Detroit I-94 / I-75 stack (MM 215)

The I-94/I-75 stack in central Detroit is one of the busiest truck interchanges in the Midwest. Major reconstruction continues. MDOT publishes real-time alerts; plan deliveries outside 6-9 AM and 3-7 PM peaks.

4a Passes and chain laws on this route

The passes on Interstate 94 with a full guide: grade, chain-control season, closures and hazards. The status is the state DOT's latest reading.

Chain rules for the states these passes are in, and for every state on the route that has a chain law:

All US mountain pass conditions →

05 Active incidents (100)
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06 Weather alerts in its states
No active NWS weather alerts in the states Interstate 94 runs through.
07 FAQ
How long does it take to drive I-94 end to end?
A passenger car can cover the 1,585 miles in 23-26 hours of driving time. Commercial drivers respecting hours-of-service rules typically need 3 to 4 days, with weather-related delays common across the Plains in winter and chronic congestion through the Twin Cities, Chicago, and Detroit metros.
Is I-94 a toll road?
No. I-94 is toll-free for its entire 1,585-mile length. Adjacent toll roads exist (the Indiana Toll Road carries I-90 around Chicago, the Illinois Tollway operates several other corridors), but I-94 itself charges no tolls.
Does I-94 close in winter?
Frequently across the Plains. The Montana and North Dakota segments see multi-day closures every winter for ground blizzards and severe windchill. Lake-effect snow events on the Indiana-Michigan border can shut down lanes for hours. Check MDT, NDDOT, INDOT, and MDOT before committing.
Where does I-94 begin and end?
I-94 begins at I-90 in Billings, Montana and ends at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, Michigan, which crosses into Sarnia, Ontario. The Blue Water Bridge is one of the top US-Canada truck crossings. Bureau of Transportation Statistics counts put Port Huron among the top three northern-border truck ports, behind Detroit and around Buffalo, and its truck volume has been climbing.
What major cities does I-94 connect?
I-94 directly serves Billings, Bismarck, Fargo, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Eau Claire, Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, Gary, Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Port Huron.

Interstate 94 Live Map

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