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Interstate 35W (Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
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. I-35 splits into two branch routes: I-35W, which serves Minneapolis, and I-35E
, which serves Saint Paul
.
Traveling north, I-35 splits at Burnsville
, and the I-35W route runs north for 41 miles, carrying its own separate sequence of exit numbers. It runs through the city of Minneapolis before rejoining with I-35E to re-form I-35 in Columbus near Forest Lake
. I-35W supplanted sections of old U.S. Highway 8 northeast of Minneapolis and old U.S. Highway 65
south of Minneapolis that have since been removed from the U.S. highway system
.
During the early years of the Interstate Highway System, branching Interstates with directional suffixes such as N, S, E, and W were common nationwide. On every other interstate nationwide, these directional suffixes have been phased out by re-designating the suffixed route numbers with a loop or spur route number designation. In the case of I-35 in the Twin Cities area, since neither branch is clearly the main route and both branches return to a unified interstate beyond the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul
, the AASHTO
officials have allowed the suffixes of E and W in Minnesota to remain in the present day. A similar split on I-35 continues to exist in Texas at Dallas
-Fort Worth
Metroplex, for similar reasons as the I-35 split in the Minneapolis - Saint Paul area. The Twin Cities and Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex splits on I-35 are the only suffixed directional splits remaining in the Interstate Highway System in the present day.
, where I-35 splits into I-35E and I-35W. While I-35E takes a northeasterly path into Saint Paul, I-35W heads north into Minneapolis. I-35W maintains northbound in Burnsville with two lanes and adds a third lane at Burnsville Parkway. It then crosses the Minnesota River
into Bloomington
. At the Bloomington / Richfield city boundary line, I-35W has a cloverleaf interchange
with Interstate 494
. I-35W continues northbound into Richfield
where it eliminates a lane, turns east and joins with State Highway 62
for about 1/4 mile in what is locally known as the Crosstown Commons. I-35W and Highway 62 split as two lanes of I-35W turn northbound toward downtown Minneapolis where I-35W adds back a third lane and then later a fourth and a fifth lane at the 46th Street on-ramp.
I-35W swerves slightly northeast immediately south of downtown to avoid the Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion District
. Three lanes then split north onto old Highway 65 which exits into downtown. The two right-hand lanes of I-35W curve a sharp right east where it runs side by side with Interstate 94
for less than a mile, allowing drivers to exchange highways. Here, the interchange with Interstate 94 does not have direct access for southbound I-35W to eastbound I-94 or westbound I-94 to northbound I-35W. Drivers must use Cedar Avenue and Washington Avenue exits to make these connections.
I-35W completes its eastern loop around downtown, crosses the Mississippi River
on the new St. Anthony Falls bridge and winds northeast out of Northeast Minneapolis
. Here I-35W passes through industrial areas near the suburbs of St. Anthony
, Lauderdale
, Roseville
, and Arden Hills
.
Interstate 35W meets Interstate 694
in New Brighton
/ Arden Hills
at a cloverleaf interchange
. U.S. Highway 10
joins I-35W one mile (1.6 km) north of the I-35W / I-694 interchange. I-35W and U.S. 10 run concurrently
for another mile before U.S. 10 turns westward at Mounds View
/ Shoreview
. I-35W passes next to the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant and again turns northeastward through the suburbs of Blaine
and Lino Lakes
. The communities of Lexington
and Circle Pines
are also nearby throughout this stretch. I-35W then merges with I-35E to re-form I-35 at Columbus near Forest Lake
.
Interstate 35W carries its own set of exit numbers in the Twin Cities area, while Interstate 35E continues the Interstate 35 exit numbers between the Iowa
state line and the city of Duluth
.
Access between Interstate 35W and Interstate 35E in the Twin Cities area is done via circulator Interstate highways 494
, 94
, and 694
; though many trunk and county highways, especially near the two downtown cores offer direct access between the two.
Legally, the route of Interstate 35W is defined as part of unmarked Legislative Route 394 in the Minnesota Statutes § 161.12(2), Interstate 35W is not marked with this legislative number along the actual highway.
event flood
ing in several areas, intersecting both natural habitats including the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
between Burnsville
and Bloomington
; and the dense urban areas through the city of Minneapolis (see Twin Cities climate). In the great 1965 Minnesota River flood, the highway was under water in the flood plain wetlands south of the Minnesota River bridge at Burnsville. Dikes have been constructed and the highway road has been raised since then. The storm sewer system under I-35W in the urban core of south Minneapolis has also been cited as a place prone to flash floods during rain events. Improvements continue to be made to this area as part of future projects.
in Burnsville. Improvements were made in 1984 to redeck and widen the bridge but subsoil problems found at the north end resulted in the new lanes being temporarily closed. In 1989, the lanes were opened as HOV
when the Minnesota Department of Transportation
expanded the north approach to carry the additional traffic.
around 6:05pm CDT. The metal arch bridge had a length of approximately 1900 feet (579.1 m) and a roadway height of over 100 feet (30.5 m) above the river. The bridge connected Minneapolis southwest of the Mississippi River
to the Southeast Minneapolis neighborhood and served residents in the northern suburbs of the metro area. Due to the collapse of the I-35W Bridge, I-35W traffic was temporarily detoured through eastbound Interstate 94
to northbound State Highway 280
where it meets up with I-35W in Roseville
.
The replacement Interstate 35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge was built in less than a year and opened to traffic on September 18, 2008 at 5:00am CDT, three months ahead of schedule.
The Crosstown Commons is one of the most congested traffic interchanges
in Minnesota
. While it is sometimes referred to as an intersection, it is a one-mile (1.6 km) merger or concurrency
of Interstate 35W and State Highway 62
. The layout is not a typical intersection: there is only a single level of roadbed and it creates a dogleg in Interstate 35W. This shared right-of-way "intersection" for Interstate 35W and State Highway 62 has been a topic of political debate for many years. There are only six lanes on the commons and all drivers merging from one highway to the other are required to change at least one lane as they merge and then diverge again. The name comes from the fact that Highway 62 is also known locally as the Crosstown Highway.
The project to improve the interchange began in May 2007, after bids were received in April 2007. The new interchange features three through-lanes for Interstate 35W in both directions, ending at 42nd Street, and two separate through-lanes for Highway 62 in each direction, eliminating the need to weave across traffic. The cost of correcting the deficiencies in that short stretch of highway was estimated to be $285 million.
In 2004, the City of Minneapolis threatened to withhold municipal consent for the project unless new bus lanes and bus stations were included. Lake Street currently has a bus station at grade with Interstate 35W on both sides. Eventually the project was altered to include the desired additional bus access. The bid was won by the Ames, Lunda, and Schafer consortium for the 2007 cost of $288 million. The project included 25 new bridges, 63 lane-miles of highway, and expanded the total roadway width from 6 lanes to 12 lanes at Lyndale Avenue. The bridges were cast in Coates, Minnesota
and trucked in for on-site erection. The new design includes transit / HOV lanes and was completed in November 2010.
, adding a northbound exit to 28th Street and reconstruct or widen roads to accommodate new ramps.
For example, at Lake Street, there is only one off-ramp which comes from the south and an on-ramp going south. Federal funding was appropriated but the project has been controversial.
to downtown Minneapolis on I-35W, passing through Burnsville
, Bloomington
, and Richfield
. Current plans call for a center high-occupancy toll lane or price-dynamic shoulder lane, for the exclusive use of buses, high-occupancy vehicles, and drivers willing to pay the dynamically priced toll, running from Lakeville to downtown Minneapolis.
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 Minneapolis. 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
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...
, the other being Interstate 35E
Interstate 35E (Minnesota)
Interstate 35E is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota, passing through downtown Saint Paul. It is one of two through routes for Interstate 35 through the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the other being Interstate 35W through Minneapolis. Thus, both ends of I-35E are...
through downtown Saint Paul. I-35 splits into two branch routes: I-35W, which serves Minneapolis, and I-35E
Interstate 35E (Minnesota)
Interstate 35E is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota, passing through downtown Saint Paul. It is one of two through routes for Interstate 35 through the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the other being Interstate 35W through Minneapolis. Thus, both ends of I-35E are...
, which serves 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...
.
Traveling north, I-35 splits at 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...
, and the I-35W route runs north for 41 miles, carrying its own separate sequence of exit numbers. It runs through the city of Minneapolis before rejoining with I-35E to re-form I-35 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...
. I-35W supplanted sections of old U.S. Highway 8 northeast of Minneapolis and 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...
south of Minneapolis that have since been removed from the U.S. highway system
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
.
During the early years of the Interstate Highway System, branching Interstates with directional suffixes such as N, S, E, and W were common nationwide. On every other interstate nationwide, these directional suffixes have been phased out by re-designating the suffixed route numbers with a loop or spur route number designation. In the case of I-35 in the Twin Cities area, since neither branch is clearly the main route and both branches return to a unified interstate beyond the cities of Minneapolis and 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...
, the AASHTO
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States...
officials have allowed the suffixes of E and W in Minnesota to remain in the present day. A similar split on I-35 continues to exist in Texas at Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
-Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
Metroplex, for similar reasons as the I-35 split in the Minneapolis - Saint Paul area. The Twin Cities and Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex splits on I-35 are the only suffixed directional splits remaining in the Interstate Highway System in the present day.
Route description
The southern terminus of I-35W is at BurnsvilleBurnsville, 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-35E takes a northeasterly path into Saint Paul, I-35W heads north into Minneapolis. I-35W maintains northbound in Burnsville with two lanes and adds a third lane at Burnsville Parkway. It then crosses 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....
into Bloomington
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
. At the Bloomington / Richfield city boundary line, I-35W has a cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
with 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...
. I-35W continues northbound into Richfield
Richfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,439 people, 15,073 households, and 8,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,993.9 people per square mile . There were 15,357 housing units at an average density of 2,226.9 per square mile...
where it eliminates a lane, turns east and joins with State Highway 62
Minnesota State Highway 62 (east)
Minnesota State Highway 62 is a highway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. The route was part of Hennepin County Road 62 until 1988, when a portion of the route was inherited by the state. The western terminus of the route is at Interstate Highway 494 in Eden Prairie, where the roadway...
for about 1/4 mile in what is locally known as the Crosstown Commons. I-35W and Highway 62 split as two lanes of I-35W turn northbound toward downtown Minneapolis where I-35W adds back a third lane and then later a fourth and a fifth lane at the 46th Street on-ramp.
I-35W swerves slightly northeast immediately south of downtown to avoid the Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion District
Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion District
The Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion District is a historic district in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota centered around Washburn-Fair Oaks Park. The city of Minneapolis designated a district bordered by Franklin Avenue, Fourth Avenue South, 26th Street East, and First Avenue South...
. Three lanes then split north onto old Highway 65 which exits into downtown. The two right-hand lanes of I-35W curve a sharp right east where it runs side by side with Interstate 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...
for less than a mile, allowing drivers to exchange highways. Here, the interchange with Interstate 94 does not have direct access for southbound I-35W to eastbound I-94 or westbound I-94 to northbound I-35W. Drivers must use Cedar Avenue and Washington Avenue exits to make these connections.
I-35W completes its eastern loop around downtown, crosses 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 new St. Anthony Falls bridge and winds northeast out of Northeast Minneapolis
Northeast, Minneapolis
Northeast is a defined community in the U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, composed of 13 smaller neighborhoods whose street addresses end in "NE". Unofficially it also includes the neighborhoods of the University community which have "NE" addresses, and the entirety of the Old Saint Anthony...
. Here I-35W passes through industrial areas near the suburbs of St. Anthony
St. Anthony, Minnesota
St. Anthony is the name of more than one place in the U.S. state of Minnesota:*St. Anthony, Stearns County, Minnesota*St. Anthony, Hennepin County, Minnesota-See also:*Saint Anthony Park , a neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota...
, Lauderdale
Lauderdale, Minnesota
Lauderdale is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,379 at the 2010 census. Lauderdale is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area and is surrounded by Minneapolis, St...
, Roseville
Roseville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,690 people, 14,598 households, and 8,598 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,543.9 people per square mile . There were 14,917 housing units at an average density of 1,126.4 per square mile...
, and Arden Hills
Arden Hills, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,652 people, 2,959 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,087.3 people per square mile . There were 3,017 housing units at an average density of 339.9 per square mile...
.
Interstate 35W meets 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...
in New Brighton
New Brighton, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,206 people, 9,013 households, and 5,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,343.9 people per square mile . There were 9,121 housing units at an average density of 1,373.5 per square mile...
/ Arden Hills
Arden Hills, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,652 people, 2,959 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,087.3 people per square mile . There were 3,017 housing units at an average density of 339.9 per square mile...
at a cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
. 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...
joins I-35W one mile (1.6 km) north of the I-35W / I-694 interchange. I-35W and U.S. 10 run concurrently
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...
for another mile before U.S. 10 turns westward at Mounds View
Mounds View, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,738 people, 5,018 households, and 3,387 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,096.6 people per square mile . There were 5,130 housing units at an average density of 1,247.1 per square mile...
/ Shoreview
Shoreview, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 , Females: 13,074 , 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile . There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile...
. I-35W passes next to the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant and again turns northeastward through the suburbs of Blaine
Blaine, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,942 people, 15,898 households, and 12,177 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,330 people per square mile . There are 16,169 housing units at an average density of 477.6 per square mile...
and 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...
. The communities of Lexington
Lexington, Minnesota
Lexington is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,049 at the 2010 census. There is also Lexington Township in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.-Geography:...
and Circle Pines
Circle Pines, Minnesota
Circle Pines is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,918 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Lake Drive / County 23 serves as a main route in the...
are also nearby throughout this stretch. I-35W then merges with I-35E to re-form I-35 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...
.
Interstate 35W carries its own set of exit numbers in the Twin Cities area, while Interstate 35E continues the Interstate 35 exit numbers between 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 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,...
.
Access between Interstate 35W and Interstate 35E in the Twin Cities area is done via circulator Interstate highways 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...
, 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...
, and 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...
; though many trunk and county highways, especially near the two downtown cores offer direct access between the two.
Legally, the route of Interstate 35W is defined as part of unmarked Legislative Route 394 in the Minnesota Statutes § 161.12(2), Interstate 35W is not marked with this legislative number along the actual highway.
Flooding
Interstate 35W is prone to heavy-rainRain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
event flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing in several areas, intersecting both natural habitats including the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a 14,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge in central Minnesota. There are eight refuge units strung along of the Minnesota River. Located just south of the city of Minneapolis, this is one of only four American national wildlife refuges in an urban...
between 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...
and Bloomington
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
; and the dense urban areas through the city of Minneapolis (see Twin Cities climate). In the great 1965 Minnesota River flood, the highway was under water in the flood plain wetlands south of the Minnesota River bridge at Burnsville. Dikes have been constructed and the highway road has been raised since then. The storm sewer system under I-35W in the urban core of south Minneapolis has also been cited as a place prone to flash floods during rain events. Improvements continue to be made to this area as part of future projects.
Minnesota River crossing
When the Minnesota River bridge between Burnsville and Bloomington was completed in 1960 it was two-lanes in each direction. I-35W at the time only extended as far south as State Highway 13Minnesota 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...
in Burnsville. Improvements were made in 1984 to redeck and widen the bridge but subsoil problems found at the north end resulted in the new lanes being temporarily closed. In 1989, the lanes were opened as HOV
High-occupancy vehicle lane
In transportation engineering and transportation planning, a high-occupancy vehicle lane is a lane reserved for vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers...
when the Minnesota Department of Transportation
Minnesota Department of Transportation
The Minnesota Department of Transportation oversees transportation by land, water, and air in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The cabinet-level agency is responsible for maintaining the state's trunk highway system The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT, pronounced "min-dot") oversees...
expanded the north approach to carry the additional traffic.
Mississippi River crossing
On Wednesday, August 1, 2007, the Interstate 35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis, collapsed into the Mississippi RiverMississippi 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...
around 6:05pm CDT. The metal arch bridge had a length of approximately 1900 feet (579.1 m) and a roadway height of over 100 feet (30.5 m) above the river. The bridge connected Minneapolis southwest of 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...
to the Southeast Minneapolis neighborhood and served residents in the northern suburbs of the metro area. Due to the collapse of the I-35W Bridge, I-35W traffic was temporarily detoured through eastbound Interstate 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...
to northbound State Highway 280
Minnesota State Highway 280
Minnesota State Highway 280 is a highway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate 94 in Saint Paul and continues north to its interchange with Interstate 35W in Roseville...
where it meets up with I-35W in Roseville
Roseville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,690 people, 14,598 households, and 8,598 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,543.9 people per square mile . There were 14,917 housing units at an average density of 1,126.4 per square mile...
.
The replacement Interstate 35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge was built in less than a year and opened to traffic on September 18, 2008 at 5:00am CDT, three months ahead of schedule.
I-35W and Highway 62 Crosstown Commons reconstruction project
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
in 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...
. While it is sometimes referred to as an intersection, it is a one-mile (1.6 km) merger or 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...
of Interstate 35W and State Highway 62
Minnesota State Highway 62 (east)
Minnesota State Highway 62 is a highway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. The route was part of Hennepin County Road 62 until 1988, when a portion of the route was inherited by the state. The western terminus of the route is at Interstate Highway 494 in Eden Prairie, where the roadway...
. The layout is not a typical intersection: there is only a single level of roadbed and it creates a dogleg in Interstate 35W. This shared right-of-way "intersection" for Interstate 35W and State Highway 62 has been a topic of political debate for many years. There are only six lanes on the commons and all drivers merging from one highway to the other are required to change at least one lane as they merge and then diverge again. The name comes from the fact that Highway 62 is also known locally as the Crosstown Highway.
The project to improve the interchange began in May 2007, after bids were received in April 2007. The new interchange features three through-lanes for Interstate 35W in both directions, ending at 42nd Street, and two separate through-lanes for Highway 62 in each direction, eliminating the need to weave across traffic. The cost of correcting the deficiencies in that short stretch of highway was estimated to be $285 million.
In 2004, the City of Minneapolis threatened to withhold municipal consent for the project unless new bus lanes and bus stations were included. Lake Street currently has a bus station at grade with Interstate 35W on both sides. Eventually the project was altered to include the desired additional bus access. The bid was won by the Ames, Lunda, and Schafer consortium for the 2007 cost of $288 million. The project included 25 new bridges, 63 lane-miles of highway, and expanded the total roadway width from 6 lanes to 12 lanes at Lyndale Avenue. The bridges were cast in Coates, Minnesota
Coates, Minnesota
Coates is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota located west of the Upper Mississippi River on the exurban fringe in central Dakota County. U.S. Highway 52 connects north to Saint Paul while County Road 46 draws east-west to nearby suburban cities. The population was 161 at the 2010 census. It is...
and trucked in for on-site erection. The new design includes transit / HOV lanes and was completed in November 2010.
Access Project
The Interstate 35W Access Project proposes to add and reconfigure ramps roughly from Franklin Avenue to 45th Street in south Minneapolis. Some proposed changes include relocating the 35th / 36th Street ramps to 38th Street, adding new ramps at Lake StreetLake Street (Minneapolis)
Lake Street is a major east-west thoroughfare in Minneapolis, Minnesota which is located between 29th and 31st Streets in south Minneapolis. It was named such because it runs through the Chain of Lakes area on the west side of town and passes over a small channel linking Lake Calhoun and Lake of...
, adding a northbound exit to 28th Street and reconstruct or widen roads to accommodate new ramps.
For example, at Lake Street, there is only one off-ramp which comes from the south and an on-ramp going south. Federal funding was appropriated but the project has been controversial.
Interstate 35W Bus Rapid Transitway
The proposed I-35W Bus Rapid Transitway would run from the southern suburb of LakevilleLakeville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,128 people, 13,609 households, and 11,526 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,192.4 people per square mile . There were 13,799 housing units at an average density of 381.5 per square mile...
to downtown Minneapolis on I-35W, passing through 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...
, Bloomington
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
, and Richfield
Richfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,439 people, 15,073 households, and 8,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,993.9 people per square mile . There were 15,357 housing units at an average density of 2,226.9 per square mile...
. Current plans call for a center high-occupancy toll lane or price-dynamic shoulder lane, for the exclusive use of buses, high-occupancy vehicles, and drivers willing to pay the dynamically priced toll, running from Lakeville to downtown Minneapolis.
Exit list
| County | Location | Mile | # 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.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
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... |
0.000 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 0.603 | 1 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 2.328 | 2 | Burnsville Parkway | |||
| 2.693-2.707 | 3 | Signed as exits 3A (north) and 3B (south) | |||
| 3.166-3.196 | 4A | Cliff Road (C.R. 5, C.R. 32) | |||
| 4.153-4.427 | 4B | Black Dog Road | |||
| Hennepin Hennepin County, Minnesota Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live... |
Bloomington Bloomington, Minnesota Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern... |
5.225-5.251 | 5 | 106th Street | |
| 6.236 | 6 | ||||
| 6.766 | 7A | 94th Street | |||
| 7.299 | 7B | 90th Street | |||
| 8.294 | 8 | 82nd Street | |||
| 8.747-8.758 | 9 | Signed as exits 9A (east) and 9B (west) | |||
| Richfield Richfield, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 34,439 people, 15,073 households, and 8,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,993.9 people per square mile . There were 15,357 housing units at an average density of 2,226.9 per square mile... |
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| 9.008 | 9C | 76th Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 10.248-10.276 | 10A | ||||
| 10.417-19.966 | 10B | (MN 121 Minnesota State Highway 121 Minnesota State Highway 121 is a short freeway stub in Minnesota. It is less than one mile in length.Highway 121 runs between Interstate Highway 35W in Richfield and Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis where it intersects West 58th Street... north) |
South end of MN 62 overlap | ||
| 10.995-11.019 | 11A | Lyndale Avenue | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 11.532 | 11B | North end of MN 62 overlap | |||
| Minneapolis | 11.867-11.891 | 12A | 60th Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |
| 12.518 | 12B | Diamond Lake Road | |||
| 13.632 | 13 | 46th Street (C.R. 46) | |||
| 14.880-15.005 | 14 | 35th Street, 36th Street | |||
| 15.484-15.627 | 15 | 31st Street, Lake Street (C.R. 3) | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 16.194-16.892 | 16A | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; old MN 65 Minnesota State Highway 65 Minnesota State Highway 65 is a highway in east-central and northeast Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with Washington Avenue at the north end of downtown Minneapolis and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S... |
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| 17.4 | 16B | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 17.652-17.697 | 17A | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 17.378 | 17B | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 17.968-18.134 | 17C | 3rd Street (C.R. 122), Washington Avenue (C.R. 152) - University of Minnesota University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557... East Bank, West Bank |
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| 18.374-18.736 | St. Anthony Falls Bridge over 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... |
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| 18.804-18.881 | 18 | ||||
| 19.564 | 19 | East Hennepin Avenue (C.R. 52) | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 20.535-20.779 | 21A | ||||
| 19.641 | 21B | Johnson Street | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 21.518-21.552 | 22 | ||||
| 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... |
Roseville Roseville, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 33,690 people, 14,598 households, and 8,598 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,543.9 people per square mile . There were 14,917 housing units at an average density of 1,126.4 per square mile... |
21.955-22.298 | 23A | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |
| 22.619-23.1 | 23B | ||||
| 23.513-23.547 | 24 | County Road C (C.R. 23), Cleveland Avenue (C.R. 46) | |||
| 24.578 | 25A | County Road D (C.R. 19) | |||
| New Brighton New Brighton, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 22,206 people, 9,013 households, and 5,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,343.9 people per square mile . There were 9,121 housing units at an average density of 1,373.5 per square mile... |
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| 24.920 | 25B | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| Arden Hills Arden Hills, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 9,652 people, 2,959 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,087.3 people per square mile . There were 3,017 housing units at an average density of 339.9 per square mile... and New Brighton New Brighton, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 22,206 people, 9,013 households, and 5,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,343.9 people per square mile . There were 9,121 housing units at an average density of 1,373.5 per square mile... |
26.090 | 26 | County Road E2 (C.R. 46, C.R. 73) | ||
| 26.760-26.776 | 27 | Signed as exits 27A (east) and 27B (west) | |||
| 27.594 | 28A | ||||
| Arden Hills Arden Hills, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 9,652 people, 2,959 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,087.3 people per square mile . There were 3,017 housing units at an average density of 339.9 per square mile... and Mounds View Mounds View, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 12,738 people, 5,018 households, and 3,387 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,096.6 people per square mile . There were 5,130 housing units at an average density of 1,247.1 per square mile... |
28.250-28.481 | 28B | South end of U.S. 10 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 28.250-25.481 | 28B | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 28.734 | 28C | No northbound exit | |||
| 29.588-29.608 | 29 | County Road I (C.R. 3) | |||
| Shoreview Shoreview, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 , Females: 13,074 , 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile . There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile... and Mounds View Mounds View, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 12,738 people, 5,018 households, and 3,387 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,096.6 people per square mile . There were 5,130 housing units at an average density of 1,247.1 per square mile... |
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| 30.134 | 30 | North end of U.S. 10 overlap | |||
| Shoreview Shoreview, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 , Females: 13,074 , 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile . There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile... and Blaine Blaine, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 44,942 people, 15,898 households, and 12,177 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,330 people per square mile . There are 16,169 housing units at an average density of 477.6 per square mile... |
30.733 | 31A | County Road J, 85th Avenue Northeast (C.R. 32) | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| Anoka 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... |
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| Blaine Blaine, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 44,942 people, 15,898 households, and 12,177 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,330 people per square mile . There are 16,169 housing units at an average density of 477.6 per square mile... |
31.006 | 31B | Lake Drive (C.R. 23) | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 32.014 | 32 | ||||
| 33.602 | 33 | ||||
| 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... |
36.512 | 36 | |||
| Columbus | 41.778 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||