Interstate 35E (Minnesota) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Interstate 35E is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

of Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

, passing through downtown Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...

. It is one of two through routes for Interstate 35

Interstate 35 in Minnesota

In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 35 is a highway in southeast, east-central, and northeast Minnesota. The route runs north–south from the Iowa state line through the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul; where it splits into Interstates 35E and 35W; and ends in the city of...

through the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the other being Interstate 35W

Interstate 35W (Minnesota)

Interstate 35W , is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota, passing through downtown Minneapolis. It is one of two through routes for Interstate 35 through the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the other being Interstate 35E through downtown Saint Paul...

through Minneapolis. Thus, both ends of I-35E are shared with I-35W and I-35. This is one of two pairs of suffixed Interstates that has not been eliminated; I-35 also splits into I-35E

Interstate 35E (Texas)

Interstate 35E , an Interstate Highway, is the eastern half of Interstate 35 where it splits to serve different cities in Texas. I-35 splits into two branch routes, I-35W and I-35E at Hillsboro. I-35E runs north for , maintaining I-35's sequence of exit numbers. It runs through Dallas before...

and I-35W

Interstate 35W (Texas)

Interstate 35W , an Interstate Highway, is the western half of Interstate 35 where it splits to serve different cities in Texas. I-35 splits into two branch routes, I-35W and I-35E at Hillsboro. I-35W runs north for , carrying its own separate sequence of exit numbers. It runs through Fort Worth...

in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

In Minnesota, I-35E continues the exit number

Exit number

An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....

s of I-35, while those of I-35W begin with 1 just north of the split. I-35E also carries the legislative route of I-35—unsigned legislative route 390—through the Twin Cities. On the other hand, the portion of I-35E through the West Seventh neighborhood of Saint Paul is a controversial four-lane parkway

Parkway

The term parkway has several distinct principal meanings and numerous synonyms around the world, for either a type of landscaped area or a type of road.Type of landscaped area:...

that heavy trucks are prohibited from using.

Interstate 35E in Minnesota is 39 miles (62.8 km) in length.

Route description

The southern terminus of I-35E is at exit 88A in Burnsville

Burnsville, Minnesota

Burnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...

, where I-35 splits into I-35E and I-35W. While I-35W heads north into Minneapolis, I-35E takes a northeasterly path into Saint Paul. There is no access between I-35E and I-35W here, but Dakota County Road 42 (exit 88B), immediately to the north, connects the two Interstates in Burnsville. Major interchanges south of Saint Paul include State Highway 77

Minnesota State Highway 77

Minnesota State Highway 77 is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with 138th Street in Apple Valley and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with State Highway 62 in Minneapolis. The route is in length...

(exit 92) at Apple Valley

Apple Valley, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 45,527 people, 16,344 households, and 12,405 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,625.5 people per square mile . There were 16,536 housing units at an average density of 953.6 per square mile...

/ Eagan

Eagan, Minnesota

Eagan is a city south of Saint Paul in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. Eagan and nearby suburbs form the southern portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the fifteenth largest...

and Interstate 494

Interstate 494

Interstate 494 is a loop route making up part of a beltway of Interstate 94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota...

(exit 99) in Mendota Heights

Mendota Heights, Minnesota

At the 2000 census, there were 11,434 people, 4,178 households and 3,237 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,222.2 per square mile . There were 4,252 housing units at an average density of 454.5 per square mile...

. Between exits 94 and 97, the highway deviates from its relatively straight path to avoid Blackhawk Lake. As it crosses I-494, I-35E turns more to the north, crossing State Highway 110

Minnesota State Highway 110

Minnesota State Highway 110 is a short connector highway in Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with State Highway 55 in Mendota Heights and continues east to its eastern terminus at its interchange with Interstate 494 in Inver Grove Heights, south of downtown Saint Paul.Highway 110 is in...

(exit 101) and State Highway 13

Minnesota State Highway 13

Minnesota State Highway 13 is a highway in Minnesota that runs from its intersection with U.S. Highway 65 in Albert Lea to its northern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 149 at the West St...

(exit 102) in Mendota Heights before crossing the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

on the Lexington Bridge

Lexington Bridge (Mississippi River)

Lexington Bridge is a plate girder bridge that spans the Mississippi River between St. Paul, Minnesota and Lilydale, Minnesota. It was built in 2004 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation....

into the city of Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota

. This portion of I-35E is four lanes wide (two in each direction), except between Highway 77 and Highway 110, where it carries six lanes. The Lexington Bridge carries six lanes — four through lanes and the exit and entrance lanes for Highway 13 - as well as a bicycle and pedestrian path. The bridge has an innovative automatic anti-icing system that sprays potassium acetate

Potassium acetate

Potassium acetate is the potassium salt of acetic acid.-Preparation:It can be prepared by reacting a potassium-containing base such as potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate with acetic acid:...

onto the bridge surface to prevent frost and ice formation in inclement weather.

The auxiliary lanes from Highway 13 leave at the first exit in Saint Paul, a half interchange with Shepard Road (exit 103A) with ramps toward the bridge. Shepard Road is a four-lane roadway with minimal intersections that follows the Mississippi River northeast into downtown Saint Paul. Immediately after Shepard Road is State Highway 5

Minnesota State Highway 5

Minnesota State Highway 5 is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highways 19 and 22 in Gaylord and continues east and northeast to its eastern terminus at its interchange with State Highway 36 and Washington County Road 5 in Stillwater...

(West 7th Street) (exit 103B), which leads northeast to downtown through the heart of the West Seventh neighborhood. The portion of I-35E between Highway 5 and downtown is a mostly sunken four-lane parkway

Parkway

The term parkway has several distinct principal meanings and numerous synonyms around the world, for either a type of landscaped area or a type of road.Type of landscaped area:...

with a speed limit

Speed limit

Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...

of 45 miles per hour (70 km/h), a ban on trucks over 9000 lbs (4000 kg) gross vehicle weight, and median landscaping. This parkway was built instead of a typical six-lane freeway because of local opposition. Major interchanges on this section include Ayd Mill Road

Ayd Mill Road

Ayd Mill Road is a road in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It runs diagonally through Saint Paul, connecting with Interstate 35E at its southeast terminus, and feeds into Selby Avenue at its northwest end. Indirect access to I-94 is possible via Selby and Snelling Avenues...

(exit 104B), a sunken four-lane road to the northwest, and Kellogg Boulevard (exit 106B), which extends in both directions as part of a loop around downtown.

The four lanes of I-35E pass through downtown Saint Paul in the center of the six lanes of I-94, with a short commons occupying the blocks between 11th and 12th Streets. Despite this short overlap, there is no weaving between the two highways, since an exit in each direction of I-35E — exit 107A from I-35E north to I-94 east, and exit 107B from I-35E south to I-94 west — takes traffic that would move to the right in the commons instead to the right of the entire roadway. There are no interchanges on the commons, and no direct access from I-35E northbound to I-94 west or I-94 eastbound to I-35E south. Kellogg Boulevard provides an indirect connection; Ayd Mill Road, further west, nears I-94 but does not connect without several turns and traffic lights. Unlike the west split of I-35E and I-94, all ramps are present at the east split; among other uses, the I-35E southbound to I-94 east and I-94 westbound to I-35E north ramps carry traffic following U.S. Highway 10

U.S. Route 10 in Minnesota

U.S. Route 10 is a major divided highway for almost all of its length in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The route runs through the central portion of the state, following closely the alignment of the former Northern Pacific Railway and connects the cities of Moorhead, Detroit Lakes, Wadena, Little...

, which overlaps I-35E north of downtown, and truck traffic using the nearby Lafayette Freeway (U.S. Highway 52

U.S. Route 52 in Minnesota

U.S. Highway 52 enters the state of Minnesota at the unincorporated community of Prosper, north of the town of Burr Oak, Iowa. The route is marked north–south in Minnesota along its independent segment from the Iowa state line to downtown St. Paul...

) to avoid the parkway through the West Seventh neighborhood.

From downtown Saint Paul north to the junction with Interstate 694

Interstate 694

Interstate 694 is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway located in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The western terminus of the route is at its junction with Interstate 94 and Interstate 494 in Maple Grove...

west (exit 113) in Little Canada

Little Canada, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,771 people, 4,375 households, and 2,393 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,445.8 people per square mile . There were 4,471 housing units at an average density of 1,119.1 per square mile...

, where U.S. 10 also leaves I-35E, the highway carries three lanes of traffic in each direction. Major interchanges here include Pennsylvania Avenue (exit 108), another part of the loop that includes Kellogg Boulevard, and State Highway 36

Minnesota State Highway 36

Minnesota State Highway 36 is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate 35W in Roseville and continues east to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line , where it becomes Wisconsin Highway 64 upon crossing the St. Croix River...

(exit 111). A commons of about one mile (1.5 km) exists between the two interchanges with I-694 (exits 113 and 115); unlike the one with I-94, traffic must weave to remain on either road. Heading northbound on I-35E, the three lanes split into two for I-694 westbound and two for I-35E northbound, and then one lane from I-694 eastbound enters on the left. These three lanes then split into two on the right for I-694 eastbound and two on the left for I-35E northbound; after the turn north, a lane joins on the right from I-694 westbound traffic. Thus through traffic on I-694 eastbound must move right at least one lane, and only the center lane of I-35E north continues through. The configuration in the other direction, where I-35E southbound and I-694 westbound merge, is similar, but two lanes of I-694 westbound enter the merge, and the rightmost of the two I-35E lanes ends, so all I-35E south traffic must move at least one lane to the left, while the right lane of I-694 west can continue straight through. A four year construction project, called "Unweave the Weave

Unweave the Weave

The Unweave the Weave project is a road construction project, conducted under the operations of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The project was done to reconstruct the interchanges of Interstate 694 and Interstate 35E in the cities of Little Canada and Vadnais Heights, Minnesota....

" beginning in 2004, was completed in 2008, to eliminate this weaving in a similar method to the I-94 commons, with three I-35E lanes inside three I-694 lanes, and separate right-side ramps from I-35E to I-694.

I-35E is four lanes wide north of I-694; the third lane added northbound from the I-694 westbound ramp exits immediately onto County Road E (exit 115) in Vadnais Heights

Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

Vadnais Heights is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 12,302 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. It borders the cities of Shoreview, Little Canada, White Bear...

. Other than the northern terminus of I-35E (exit 127) in Columbus near Forest Lake

Forest Lake, Minnesota

Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 18,375 at the 2010 census. It is located on Minnesota's 94th largest lake .Interstate 35 and U.S...

, where it merges with I-35W to re-form I-35, there are only four interchanges on I-35E north of I-694 between Vadnais Heights and Columbus, all for county roads.

History

Early plans for the Interstate Highway System

Interstate Highway System

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...

include a route along roughly the same alignment as the present I-35 through the Twin Cities area, but are not detailed enough to show exactly how the cities would be served. When preliminary urban routes were laid out in 1955, a split alignment was chosen to serve both cities equally. South of the Twin Cities, I-35 followed the corridor of old U.S. Highway 65

U.S. Route 65

U.S. Route 65 is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 425 in Clayton, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at Interstate 35 just south of Interstate 90 in Albert Lea, Minnesota...

, which had followed Lyndale Avenue between Burnsville and downtown Minneapolis. I-35E was located parallel to State Highway 13

Minnesota State Highway 13

, which cut northeast to Saint Paul from old U.S. 65 south of the Minnesota River

Minnesota River

The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....

. North of the metropolitan area, I-35 closely paralleled U.S. Highway 61

U.S. Route 61 in Minnesota

U.S. Highway 61 is a highway in southeast and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the River Bridge over the Mississippi River at La Crescent and continues north to its northern terminus at its junction with Interstate 35 at the city of Wyoming....

, which passed through Saint Paul; I-35W paralleled old U.S. Highway 8 from Minneapolis northeast through New Brighton and then to the present day I-35E / I-35W split at Columbus near Forest Lake

Forest Lake, Minnesota

Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 18,375 at the 2010 census. It is located on Minnesota's 94th largest lake .Interstate 35 and U.S...

, near where old U.S. 8 had joined U.S. 61. The Minnesota Legislature

Minnesota Legislature

The Minnesota Legislature is the legislative branch of government in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is a bicameral legislature located at the Minnesota Capitol in Saint Paul and it consists of two houses: the lower Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate...

defined I-35E as part of unmarked Legislative Route 390, which stretched south to the Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

state line and north to the city of Duluth

Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...

along I-35.

I-35E was completed north of downtown Saint Paul in 1970. The first section to open ran north from Maryland Avenue in Saint Paul to I-694

Interstate 694

in Little Canada; this was completed in the early 1960s, concurrently with I-694 west to old State Highway 49

Minnesota State Highway 49

Minnesota State Highway 49 was a state highway in Minnesota. It originally followed Rice Street from downtown St. Paul into the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, shifting a northern termini between Interstate 35W and also the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility. In the late 1990s, the route was...

(Rice Street). Later that decade, I-35E was extended south to downtown Saint Paul, opening first to Pennsylvania Avenue and then to I-94

Interstate 94 in Minnesota

In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 94 runs east–west through the central portion of the state. The route connects the cities of Moorhead, Fergus Falls, Alexandria, St...

, including the I-35E / I-94 concurrency

Concurrency (road)

A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...

(and I-94 in both directions). In 1970, I-35E was extended north along the I-35E / I-694 concurrency in Little Canada

Little Canada, Minnesota

/ Vadnais Heights

Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

and also extended northbound to its northern terminus at Columbus near Forest Lake

Forest Lake, Minnesota

Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 18,375 at the 2010 census. It is located on Minnesota's 94th largest lake .Interstate 35 and U.S...

; the adjacent sections of I-35

Interstate 35 in Minnesota

, I-35W

Interstate 35W (Minnesota)

, and I-694 opened at about the same time.

The southern half of I-35E in the metro area took a lot longer to build. Its first section — a short stretch from State Highway 110

Minnesota State Highway 110

north to State Highway 5

Minnesota State Highway 5

, including the Lexington Bridge

Lexington Bridge (Mississippi River)

Lexington Bridge is a plate girder bridge that spans the Mississippi River between St. Paul, Minnesota and Lilydale, Minnesota. It was built in 2004 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation....

over the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

- opened in the mid-1960s. Even though the connecting piece of I-35W and I-35 at the southern terminus of I-35E in Burnsville

Burnsville, Minnesota

opened in the mid-1960s, it was not until the mid 1980s that I-35E was completed south of Highway 110 at Mendota Heights

Mendota Heights, Minnesota

and southbound through Eagan

Eagan, Minnesota

and Apple Valley

Apple Valley, Minnesota

, where there had been a missing link of I-35E for 20 years. Construction was delayed by opposition from nearby residents in Burnsville and from environmentalist

Environmentalist

An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...

s over the proposed alignment across Blackhawk Lake. The final plan involved a new alignment avoiding the lake, as well as a less complicated interchange at I-494

Interstate 494

Interstate 494 is a loop route making up part of a beltway of Interstate 94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota...

in Mendota Heights, eliminating access to State Highway 55

Minnesota State Highway 55

Minnesota State Highway 55 is a highway in west-central, central, and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the North Dakota state line near Tenney and continues east and southeast to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S...

that was part of the earlier plans.

Controversy through the West Seventh neighborhood of Saint Paul

The missing piece through the West Seventh neighborhood of Saint Paul, from State Highway 5 (West 7th Street) northeast to I-94 in downtown Saint Paul, was held up by controversy. Construction began in 1964, and was planned for completion in the 1970s as a typical six-lane freeway, but the National Environmental Policy Act

National Environmental Policy Act

The National Environmental Policy Act is a United States environmental law that established a U.S. national policy promoting the enhancement of the environment and also established the President's Council on Environmental Quality ....

was passed on January 1, 1970. In late 1969, a group of neighbors in the area had formed Residents in Protest 35E (R.I.P. 35E) to oppose the completion of I-35E. The group convinced the city to drop its support, and in August it filed a joint lawsuit

Lawsuit

A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...

against the Minnesota Highway Department (MHD) and U.S. Department of Transportation along with four neighborhood associations and eight citizens. The parties quickly reached an agreement, favorable to the plaintiffs, to halt construction pending an environmental impact statement

Environmental impact statement

An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...

(EIS).

The Saint Paul City Council decided in late 1974 to support I-35E, possibly due to the influence of proponents. R.I.P. 35E proposed an alternative to the original plan, and convinced the city council to go along with it. The plan included a four-lane boulevard

Boulevard

A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...

upgrade of Pleasant Avenue (the street chosen for the I-35E alignment), with another route such as Shepard Road or the nearby Lafayette Freeway forming part of I-35E. The group opposed any direct connection of this parkway to I-94 near the State Capitol

Minnesota State Capitol

The Minnesota State Capitol is located in Minnesota's capital city, Saint Paul, and houses the Minnesota Senate, Minnesota House of Representatives, the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Governor...

, where I-35E and I-94 were to merge. The EIS was completed in early 1975, identifying noise pollution

Noise pollution

Noise pollution is excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life...

, air pollution

Air pollution

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....

, vibration

Vibration

Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...

s, and slope stability

Slope stability

The field of slope stability encompasses the analysis of static and dynamic stability of slopes of earth and rock-fill dams, slopes of other types of embankments, excavated slopes, and natural slopes in soil and soft rock...

as the main concerns. In addition to the nearby location of historic districts, hospitals were worried about the effects of vibrations on sensitive operations; the MHD solved this problem while the report was being developed. The EIS identified the primary benefit of completing I-35E as connecting downtown Saint Paul to the Interstate Highway System, and determined that the original Pleasant Avenue corridor was the best choice, but with minor changes such as lowering the freeway below Grand Avenue and Ramsey Street.

A bill passed by the Minnesota Legislature

Minnesota Legislature

on May 31, 1975 imposed a moratorium on building I-35E, as well as other area freeways such as the canceled Interstate 335

Interstate 335 (Minnesota)

Interstate 335 is a cancelled auxiliary Interstate route in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was planned to cross Northeast Minneapolis from I-35W south of Broadway to I-94 in North Minneapolis. Land was acquired and some demolition had proceeded when the road was defeated by local opposition.Interstate...

project and the State Highway 55

Minnesota State Highway 55

(Hiawatha Avenue) upgrade project. This law defined several new legislative routes, which "may be added by order of the commissioner of transportation to the trunk highway system" (as opposed to other such routes, which were added to that system by the legislature):

Legislative Route No. 380. Beginning at a point on Route No. 390 [I-35E] at its intersection with Shepard Road in the city of Saint Paul; thence extending in a northeasterly direction generally following along the course of Shepard Road to a point on Route No. 112 [Lafayette Freeway]; thence extending in a northeasterly direction to a point on Route No. 392 [I-94] easterly of the downtown area of Saint Paul; providing a connector route between Route No. 390 and Routes No. 112 and 392;

Legislative Route No. 381. Beginning at a point on Route No. 112 [Lafayette Freeway], northerly of the Lafayette Street bridge in the city of Saint Paul; thence extending in a northwesterly direction to a point on Route No. 390 [I-35E], southerly of Maryland Avenue in the city of Saint Paul; providing a connector route between Route No. 112 and Route No. 390; and

Legislative Route No. 382. Beginning at a point on Route No. 390 [I-35E] at its junction with Route No. 111 [Highway 5], thence extending in a general northerly direction, within the corridor of the right of way already acquired on the effective date of this act, for Route No. 390, to a point on Short Line Road; thence extending in a northeasterly direction within said corridor of right of way to the intersection of Pleasant Avenue and Kellogg Boulevard in the city of Saint Paul.

Legislative Routes 380 and 381 provided for an alternate alignment of I-35E along Shepard Road and a northerly extension of the Lafayette Freeway, while Legislative Route 382 was a "four lane parkway

Parkway

The term parkway has several distinct principal meanings and numerous synonyms around the world, for either a type of landscaped area or a type of road.Type of landscaped area:...

facility" that the MHD could build along the original alignment of I-35E, but without a connection to I-94. The city announced its support of the parkway in August 1976.

An act passed on April 5, 1978 added a condition to the definition of Legislative Route 390 (I-35E):

Legislative Route No. 390 [I-35E] shall not include any portion of Legislative Route No. 382 [the parkway] as designated by section 161.117 or any portion of any route connecting Route No. 382 to Route No. 392 [I-94], nor shall it include any portion of trunk highway marked number 3
Minnesota State Highway 3
Minnesota State Highway 3 is a state highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 21 in Faribault and continues north to its northern terminus at an interchange with MN 110 in Inver Grove Heights...

from trunk highway marked number 110
Minnesota State Highway 110
Minnesota State Highway 110 is a short connector highway in Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with State Highway 55 in Mendota Heights and continues east to its eastern terminus at its interchange with Interstate 494 in Inver Grove Heights, south of downtown Saint Paul.Highway 110 is in...

in Dakota County to East Seventh Street in the city of Saint Paul.

At the time, old Highway 3 was marked along the nearby Lafayette Freeway (now U.S. 52) from the late 1970s to 1994.

It also allowed a connection from the parkway to I-94, but this link could not be controlled access. The Metropolitan Council

Metropolitan Council

The Metropolitan Council or Met Council is the regional governmental agency and metropolitan planning organization in Minnesota serving the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area. The Met Council is granted regional authority powers in state statutes by the Minnesota Legislature. These powers...

was to complete a draft EIS for the parkway and I-35E by September 1, 1979, with the cooperation of Mn/DOT and Saint Paul. There was widespread support for a 45 mile-per-hour parkway, with landscaping and a truck restriction, but the non-connection to I-94 jeopardized federal Interstate funding, since it could no longer be part of the continuous I-35E. Two notable alternatives came out of the draft EIS — a parkway with or without an I-94 connection. The parkway with a connection would provide the same level of service

Level of service

Level of service is a measure used by traffic engineers to determine the effectiveness of elements of transportation infrastructure. LOS is most commonly used to analyze highways by categorizing traffic flow with corresponding safe driving conditions...

as a typical freeway.

R.I.P. 35E and other citizens' groups continued to oppose a direct connection, arguing that it would be no different from a typical freeway, since drivers would be more likely to exceed the speed limit if it was a continuous roadway to I-94. Saint Paul changed its mind again in September 1981, supporting a direct connection, along with Mn/DOT and the Metropolitan Council. A bill passed in March 1982 removed the stipulation that the parkway shall not connect to I-94, and allowed Route 390 (I-35E) to use Route 382 (the parkway). The final EIS was approved at about that time, and several groups including R.I.P. 35E filed suit in early 1983.

The suit alleged that the EIS focused almost exclusively on the Pleasant Avenue alignment, and that it did not consider the effect of a direct connection on speed limit compliance; faster traffic would mean more noise. Judge Paul Magnuson ruled in February 1984 that the EIS was valid, stating that the Pleasant Avenue alternative was the only reasonable one that would meet goals. This court order has been interpreted as a legal contract, prohibiting the state from raising the speed limit or allowing trucks. Construction went forward, and I-35E was opened from Highway 5 north to Saint Clair Avenue in 1984, using original bridges that had been built for three lanes in each direction. Further extensions, including all new bridges, were opened to Grand Avenue in 1986, to Kellogg Boulevard in November 1988, and to I-94 on October 15, 1990, 26 years after construction began. The 1990 opening ceremony of I-35E in downtown Saint Paul was attended by a group of highway experts from the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, and both the U.S. and Soviet

National Anthem of the Soviet Union

The National Anthem of the Soviet Union or the State Anthem of the USSR was introduced during World War II on March 15, 1944, replacing The Internationale as the official national anthem of the Soviet Union as well as the national anthem of the Russian SFSR...

national anthems were played.

Later changes

The original plans for the I-94 commons in downtown Saint Paul did not include the right-side ramps that eliminate weaving. The ramp from I-35E northbound to I-94 eastbound was added when I-35E was finally completed in 1990, and a five-year construction project that was completed in 1992 added the ramp from I-35E southbound to I-94 westbound, as well as a direct ramp from I-35E southbound to the Lafayette Freeway (U.S. Highway 52) to avoid weaving across I-94 east. This project was done because the old Spaghetti Junction at the east split of I-35E and I-94 would not be able to handle the extra load from the completed I-35E parkway.

When the first piece of the parkway opened in 1984, unused provisions, pending more study, were added for a direct link to Ayd Mill Road

Ayd Mill Road

, a sunken four-lane road with minimal intersections that leads northwest from I-35E. The ramps were built and temporarily opened in 1992 for high-occupancy vehicles, due to the closure of the nearby Lafayette Bridge

Lafayette Bridge

The Lafayette Bridge is a bridge carrying U.S. Route 52 across the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul. At this point, US 52 is on the Lafayette Freeway. The bridge spans across railroad yards north of the Mississippi, the river itself, and industrial areas south of the Mississippi...

(U.S. Highway 52) for reconstruction. The ramps were reopened on June 12, 2002 as a test, and remain open . A controversial extension of Ayd Mill Road to I-94 remains on the table.

The 1964 Lexington Bridge

Lexington Bridge (Mississippi River)

Lexington Bridge is a plate girder bridge that spans the Mississippi River between St. Paul, Minnesota and Lilydale, Minnesota. It was built in 2004 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation....

across the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

was replaced by a new bridge, built from 2001 to 2004, due to deterioration of the old structure including cracks in steel beams. Unweave the Weave, a project to eliminate weaving at the I-694 commons, was completed in 2008.

The 1965 bridge just north of downtown Saint Paul carrying a daily traffic volume of 148,000 vehicles over Cayuga Street and the BNSF Railway

BNSF Railway

The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...

line was rated by Mn/DOT as meeting minimum tolerable limits in 2006. Its superstructure and substructure were described as poor with advanced section loss, deterioration, spalling, or scour. As the fourth busiest bridge in the state, it was scrutinized following the collapse of the Interstate 35W Mississippi River Bridge in nearby Minneapolis on August 1, 2007.

Exit list

Exit numbers and mileposts increase numerically from the south end, continuing the numbers used on I-35.
{| class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=14|Dakota

Dakota County, Minnesota

Dakota County is the third most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of Wisconsin on the east. Dakota County comprises the southeast portion of seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul, the thirteenth...

|rowspan=3|Burnsville

Burnsville, Minnesota

|88.268
|
|
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|88.794–88.848
|88B
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|90.615–90.659
|rowspan=2|90
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|
|-
|Apple Valley

Apple Valley, Minnesota

|-
|rowspan=6|Eagan

Eagan, Minnesota

|92.629–92.649
|92
|
|
|-
|93.772
|93
|
|
|-
|94.906
|94
|
|
|-
|97.123
|97A
|
|
|-
|97.433
|97B
|
|Northbound exit is via exit 97A
|-
|98.559
|98
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Mendota Heights

Mendota Heights, Minnesota

|99.667–99.684
|99
|
|Signed as exits 99A (east) and 99B (west)
|-
|101.169–101.183
|101
|
|Signed as exits 101A (east) and 101B (west) southbound
|-
|102.590
|102
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|102.630–102.896
|rowspan=2 colspan=3 align=center|Lexington Bridge

Lexington Bridge (Mississippi River)

Lexington Bridge is a plate girder bridge that spans the Mississippi River between St. Paul, Minnesota and Lilydale, Minnesota. It was built in 2004 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation....

over the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

|-
|rowspan=25|Ramsey

Ramsey County, Minnesota

Ramsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1849. As of 2010, the population was 508,640. Its county seat is St. Paul, which is also Minnesota's state capital. The county is named for Alexander Ramsey , the first governor of the Minnesota Territory...

|rowspan=16|Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota

|-
|103.346–103.364
|103A
|Shepard Road
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|103.688–103.692
|103B
|
|
|-
|104.464
|104A
|Randolph Avenue (CR 38)
|
|-
|104.599–104.639
|104B
|Ayd Mill Road

Ayd Mill Road

|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|105.014–105.038
|104C
|Victoria Street
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|105.562
|105
|St. Clair Avenue
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|106.281–106.444
|106A
|Grand Avenue
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|106.980
|106B
|Kellogg Boulevard
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|107.450
|106C
|11th Street – State Capitol
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|107.497
|107B
|
|South end of I-94 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance; unmarked US 12

U.S. Route 12 in Minnesota

U.S. Route 12 is a highway in west-central and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the South Dakota state line at Ortonville near Big Stone Lake and continues east to the St. Croix River at the Wisconsin state line. U.S. 12 in Minnesota is in length...

west, unmarked US 52

U.S. Route 52 in Minnesota

north
|-
|107.614
|107A
|
|North end of I-94 overlap; south end of US 10 overlap; unmarked US 12

U.S. Route 12 in Minnesota

east
|-
|108.042–108.074
|107C
|University Avenue

University Avenue (Minneapolis-St. Paul)

University Avenue in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region of Minnesota begins near the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul and extends westward into neighboring Minneapolis, where it passes the University of Minnesota, and then turns north to pass through several suburbs before ending in Blaine,...

– State Capitol
|Southbound exit only
|-
|108.279–108.311
|108
|Pennsylvania Avenue (CR 33)
|No southbound entrance
|-
|109.400
|109
|Maryland Avenue (CR 31)
|
|-
|rowspan=2|110.339–110.420
|rowspan=2|110A
|rowspan=2|Wheelock Parkway, Larpenteur Avenue

Larpenteur Avenue

Larpenteur Avenue is a main thoroughfare in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Originally named Minneapolis Avenue, it was renamed by the Saint Paul City Council in 1904 in honor of Auguste Louis Larpenteur, a fur trader and one of the original 12 citizens in the city of Saint Paul...

Maplewood, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 34,947 people, 13,758 households, and 9,190 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,017.5 people per square mile . There were 14,004 housing units at an average density of 808.5 per square mile...

|-
|110.905–110.931
|110B
|Roselawn Avenue
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Little Canada

Little Canada, Minnesota

|111.704–111.742
|111
|
|Signed as exits 111A (east) and 111B (west)
|-
|112.560
|112
|Little Canada Road (CR 21)
|
|-
|113.531
|113
|
|North end of US 10 overlap; south end of I-694 overlap
|-
|rowspan=2|Vadnais Heights

Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

|114.181
|114
|
|North end of I-694 overlap
|-
|115.441
|115
|County Road E (CR 15)
|
|-
|White Bear Lake

White Bear Lake, Minnesota

White Bear Lake is a city in Ramsey and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 23,797 at the 2010 census. The city is located on White Bear Lake, one of the largest lakes in the Minneapolis-St...

Anoka County, Minnesota

Anoka County is the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the counties of Isanti on the north, Chisago and Washington on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey on the south, Sherburne on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest.As of 2010, Anoka...

|rowspan=2|Lino Lakes

Lino Lakes, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,791 people, 4,857 households, and 4,162 families residing in the city. The population density was 595.1 people per square mile . There were 4,921 housing units at an average density of 174.4 per square mile...

|-
|123.570
|123
|
|
|-
|Columbus
|127.608
|
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance

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