Engineering Division

Bloomington geodetic benchmarks

Bloomington's benchmark information has been divided into four maps intersecting at Penn Avenue and 98th Street. To get to the pertinent section, click on the area of the map below.

Map of four sections

About Bloomington's benchmarks

Updated June 8, 2011

These benchmark locations and elevations are currently in use in the city of Bloomington. They are referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum -1929.

If any benchmarks are found to be disturbed, altered or obliterated, notify the City Surveyor, 1700 West 98th St, Bloomington, Minnesota 55431, PH: 952-563-4869.

The benchmarks have been established using accepted methods of leveling. Although they have been checked to the reasonable satisfaction of the Engineering Division of Bloomington's Public Works Department, no responsibility is assumed by the City of Bloomington for their absolute correctness. The responsibility for conclusions derived from this information lies totally with the user.

Types of Benchmarks

Six types of benchmarks are associated with this revision, and are given in this order of accuracy:

MnDOT: Data from the MnDOT Geodetic Database for Hennepin County Sheet 2 has been used as the basis for our electronic level loops. MnDOT NAVD 88 data has been converted to NGVD 29 using VertCon.
Electronic: Data from electronic level loops. These elevations are based on MnDOT discs or benchmarks assigned from previously run electronic level loops.
Optical: Data gathered from optically run level loops, which may or may not be based on electronic benchmarks.
GPS: Data derived from GPS observations with a tolerance of +/- 0.25 feet.
Historical: Data derived from earlier editions (pre 1998) of the Bloomington benchmark Book, which have not been recently checked.
Other: Data derived from sources that do not fit the previous categories.

For more information, contact:

Mat Kvidera, Computer Specialist
1700 W. 98th Street
PH: 952-563-4633, FAX: 952-563-4868
E-mail: mkvidera@ci.bloomington.mn.us.