Minnesota State Highway 3
Encyclopedia
Minnesota State Highway 3 (MN 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
. MN 3 is 44 miles (70.8 km) in length.
MN 3 travels southbound through a series of rolling, wooded hills, over a mostly straight path between its interchange with I-494
to its interchange with MN 55
in Inver Grove Heights
. After its junction with MN 55, MN 3 travels along the inside of a valley for a few miles in Eagan
, then diverges from the valley, and follows a rail line from Eagan into Rosemount
. This portion of the route is heavily wooded, and has many sharp turns with speed limits ranging from 30 to 45 mph (13.4 to 20.1 ); at least one sharp turn is inadequately banked. Between Rosemount and Farmington
, MN 3 straightens out, and becomes much flatter. This section passes through several farm fields, including a turf farm. The open fields continue to Northfield
, though the route begins sloping downward as it enters the city.
Legally, MN 3 is defined as legislative routes 1, 115, and 334 in the Minnesota Statutes. The route is not marked with those numbers.
. This route was originally numbered 65 as part of old U.S. Highway 65
(US 65) from 1927 to 1934. It was built between Faribault
and MN 149
in Inver Grove Heights
and was paved as early as 1929.
The route was renumbered 218 in 1934 as part of old US 218
from 1934 to 1935, which was eventually redesignated MN 218 from 1935 to 1963. The route was renumbered MN 3 in 1963.
MN 3 follows a roadway from Faribault
to Inver Grove Heights
that previously extended north through West St. Paul
, downtown Saint Paul
, and ended at the State Capitol. This section is still under state maintenance as unmarked MN 952.
The route was once part of the Jefferson Highway
, an automobile highway stretching through the central U.S. until the late 1920s. MN 3 is still part of unmarked Constitutional Route 1.
From the late 1970s to 1994, MN 3 was previously routed on the Lafayette Freeway through South St. Paul
/ West St. Paul to downtown Saint Paul. Nearby US 52
was routed on a stretch of Robert Street during this period of time. The Lafayette Freeway was completely constructed in 1994, US 52 was then rerouted along that route and MN 3 was shortened to its current northern terminus at its junction with MN 110
in Inver Grove Heights.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
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...
, which runs from its intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
with MN 21
Minnesota State Highway 21
Minnesota State Highway 21 is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 60 in Faribault and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with U.S...
in Faribault
Faribault, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.8 people per square mile . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of 605.8 per square mile...
and continues north to its northern terminus at an interchange
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...
with MN 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 Inver Grove Heights
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,751 people, 11,257 households, and 7,924 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,038.8 people per square mile . There were 11,457 housing units at an average density of 400.1 per square mile...
. MN 3 is 44 miles (70.8 km) in length.
Route description
MN 3 serves as a north–south route between Faribault, Northfield, Farmington, Rosemount, Eagan and Inver Grove Heights.MN 3 travels southbound through a series of rolling, wooded hills, over a mostly straight path between its interchange with 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...
to its interchange with MN 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...
in Inver Grove Heights
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,751 people, 11,257 households, and 7,924 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,038.8 people per square mile . There were 11,457 housing units at an average density of 400.1 per square mile...
. After its junction with MN 55, MN 3 travels along the inside of a valley for a few miles in 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...
, then diverges from the valley, and follows a rail line from Eagan into Rosemount
Rosemount, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,619 people, 4,742 households, and 3,931 families residing in the city. The population density was 434.2 people per square mile . There were 4,845 housing units at an average density of 143.9 per square mile...
. This portion of the route is heavily wooded, and has many sharp turns with speed limits ranging from 30 to 45 mph (13.4 to 20.1 ); at least one sharp turn is inadequately banked. Between Rosemount and Farmington
Farmington, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,365 people, 4,169 households, and 3,255 families residing in the city. The population density was 986.0 people per square mile . There were 4,233 housing units at an average density of 337.5 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 95.62%...
, MN 3 straightens out, and becomes much flatter. This section passes through several farm fields, including a turf farm. The open fields continue to Northfield
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
, though the route begins sloping downward as it enters the city.
Legally, MN 3 is defined as legislative routes 1, 115, and 334 in the Minnesota Statutes. The route is not marked with those numbers.
History
MN 3 was established in 1963, from the southern portion of former MN 218Minnesota State Highway 218
Minnesota State Highway 218 was a highway that originally ran from U.S. Route 218 in St. Paul to U.S. Route 210 in Brainerd. In 1935, it was extended south to Owatonna along the former route of U.S. 218...
. This route was originally numbered 65 as part 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...
(US 65) from 1927 to 1934. It was built between Faribault
Faribault, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.8 people per square mile . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of 605.8 per square mile...
and MN 149
Minnesota State Highway 149
Minnesota State Highway 149 is a highway in Minnesota that runs from its intersection with State Highway 3 in Inver Grove Heights to its northern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 5 in Saint Paul. The route is in length....
in Inver Grove Heights
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,751 people, 11,257 households, and 7,924 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,038.8 people per square mile . There were 11,457 housing units at an average density of 400.1 per square mile...
and was paved as early as 1929.
The route was renumbered 218 in 1934 as part of old US 218
U.S. Route 218
U.S. Route 218 is an original United States Highway, created in 1926. Although technically a spur of U.S. Route 18, US 218 neither begins nor ends at US 18, but overlaps US 18 for near Charles City, Iowa. US 218 begins at U.S. Route 136 in downtown Keokuk and ends away at...
from 1934 to 1935, which was eventually redesignated MN 218 from 1935 to 1963. The route was renumbered MN 3 in 1963.
MN 3 follows a roadway from Faribault
Faribault, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.8 people per square mile . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of 605.8 per square mile...
to Inver Grove Heights
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,751 people, 11,257 households, and 7,924 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,038.8 people per square mile . There were 11,457 housing units at an average density of 400.1 per square mile...
that previously extended north through West St. Paul
West St. Paul, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 19,405 people, 8,645 households, and 4,875 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,874.2 people per square mile . There were 8,779 housing units at an average density of 1,752.7 per square mile...
, 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...
, and ended at the State Capitol. This section is still under state maintenance as unmarked MN 952.
The route was once part of the Jefferson Highway
Jefferson Highway
The Jefferson Highway was an automobile highway stretching through the central United States from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jefferson Highway was replaced with the new numbered US Highway system in the late 1920s...
, an automobile highway stretching through the central U.S. until the late 1920s. MN 3 is still part of unmarked Constitutional Route 1.
From the late 1970s to 1994, MN 3 was previously routed on the Lafayette Freeway through South St. Paul
South St. Paul, Minnesota
South St. Paul is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, immediately south and southeast of the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is also southeast of West St. Paul, Minnesota. The population was 20,160 at the 2010 census. It is notable as one of the historic major meat packing cities in the United...
/ West St. Paul to downtown Saint Paul. Nearby US 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...
was routed on a stretch of Robert Street during this period of time. The Lafayette Freeway was completely constructed in 1994, US 52 was then rerouted along that route and MN 3 was shortened to its current northern terminus at its junction with MN 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 Inver Grove Heights.