North Metro (inside
the Beltway)
This page covers I-35E from
the I-94 "Capitol Interchange" in downtown St. Paul to
the eastern I-35E/I-694 junction in Vadnais Heights. This
includes a 0.7 mile duplex with I-694, and a 5.9 mile duplex with
US 10. Total length of this section is approximately 6.6
miles.
Description
One of the older sections
of urban freeway in Minnesota, this section of I-35E, due to its
large traffic volumes, also has the dubious distinction of being
the first freeway in Minnesota to have ramp meters installed.
Today, it is a very congested 6-lane freeway that connects St.
Paul to its northern suburbs.
Roadway
Configuration
- 6 lanes throughout, except 4 lanes through the I-694 West interchange
- Auxiliary lanes between I-94 and Pennsylvania Ave
Average Daily Traffic Counts
| Location |
1996 |
1998 |
2000 |
2002 |
2004 |
2006 |
10-yr
'96-'06
Change |
| N of I-94 |
122,000 |
125,000 |
130,000 |
145,000 |
144,000 |
154,000 |
+26% |
| N of Pennsylvania
Ave |
131,000 |
137,000 |
142,000 |
150,000 |
148,000 |
149,000 |
+14% |
| N of Maryland Ave |
126,000 |
132,000 |
136,000 |
141,000 |
138,000 |
138,000 |
+10% |
| N of Larpentur Ave |
123,000 |
126,000 |
130,000 |
139,000 |
139,000 |
142,000 |
+15% |
| N of Roselawn Ave |
123,000 |
125,000 |
129,000 |
138,000 |
140,000 |
140,000 |
+14% |
| N of MN 36 |
112,000 |
114,000 |
115,000 |
119,000 |
120,000 |
119,000 |
+6% |
| N of Little Canada
Rd |
106,000 |
106,000 |
110,000 |
112,000 |
116,000 |
115,000 |
+8% |
| Between I-694 WEST ramps |
60,000 |
N/A |
55,410 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| I-35E/I-694 duplex |
107,000 |
114,000 |
121,000 |
120,000 |
120,000 |
122,000 |
+14% |
Click HERE for the Exit List
Speed Limit
History
- Opened between Maryland Ave and I-694 West in 1961.
- Opened between Pennsylvania Ave and Maryland Ave in 1965.
- Opened between I-94 and Pennsylvania Ave in 1967.
- I-35E/I-694 Commons opened in 1970.
Future Plans
- Reconstruction and significant widening of the I-35E/I-694 duplex (the
"Unweave the Weave" project) began in 2006. This
project will provide for 6 lanes each on I-35E and I-694, improved ramp
connections between the two Interstates, and also includes auxiliary lanes
north to County Road E and south to MN 36.
- Reconstruction and widening between I-94 and Maryland Ave in St. Paul is
expected to begin in 2010. This project will replace the aging Cayuga
Bridge and also replace the Pennsylvania Ave interchange with a new interchange
just north of the Cayuga Bridge, supporting St. Paul's new Phalen
Corridor.
- Long range plans call for widening the corridor between downtown St.
Paul and I-694, though no widening north of Maryland Ave is anticipated before 2013 and could be as late as 2023.
Froggie Suggests
- Widen I-35E to 10 lanes between I-94 and MN 36.
- Move the interchange at Pennsylvania Ave to the north, as
per the Phalen Corridor EIS.
- Add ramps to and from the south directly to Larpentur Ave.
- Remove the interchange at Roselawn Ave.
- Reconstruct the interchange at MN 36 with C/D roads, a WB
36 to SB 35E flyover, and a NB 35E to WB 36 flyover.
- Widen I-35E to 8 lanes between MN 36 and I-694.
- Reconstruct the interchange at Little Canada Road into a
single point interchange.
Links
Last updated
12 May, 2008