About This Site
Like most major metropolitan areas, the Twin Cities has more than its fair share of expressways and freeways that were planned, but due to some reason or another (usually money or opposition), were never built. A fair number of these routes were radials that would have gone through higher-density areas within Minneapolis and St. Paul. In fact, of the 20 radials planned from the downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul cores (combined), half weren't built. Two major routes that would have formed an inner loop and a partial outer loop of downtown Minneapolis also were never built. Some routes were slated for freeway upgrades, but never got them. Even on those routes (primarily expressways) that did get built, there were many planned interchange locations that wound up becoming intersections instead. Only a few of these problem areas are now, 35+ years later, planned for improvements.
Here is a map I've created showing the
cancelled sections in relation to the rest of the Twin Cities freeway/expressway
system.
This map shows some more detail
on existing and cancelled freeways within the city of Minneapolis.
This list includes existing highways that were planned to get major upgrades, yet never got those upgrades, as well as some highways that only had parts built, but not the full route. If you have any questions or comments about what's on this site, or have any further info on the below routes or routes I should include, please let me know.
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Southwest Corridor |
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Como Ave/Lexington Ave |
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Wayzata Blvd |
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Pierce Butler Route |
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Cedar Ave |
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North St. Paul |
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Chaska/Chanhassan |
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140th St/150th St |
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University Ave NE |
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Ayd Mill Rd/Snelling Ave |
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Dakota County |
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West Broadway |
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Olson Memorial Highway |
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Hiawatha Ave/Dakota County |
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Dakota County |
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Edgerton Expressway/Arcade St |
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Crosstown Expressway |
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Central Ave NE |
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Mendota Heights |
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28th St Expressway |
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North Loop |
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North Crosstown |
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Cleveland Ave |
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Page last modified 31 May, 2004