I-35E South Metro (outside the Beltway)

South Metro (outside the Beltway)

This page covers I-35E from the I-35W/I-35E split in Burnsville to the I-494 interchange in Eagan. Total length of this section is approximately 11.3 miles.

Description

One of the newer Interstate segments in the Twin Cities metro, this section of I-35E was opened up in stages between 1980 and 1986. With close to 30 years of insight into freeway design by that time, this is also one of the better designed freeways within the Metro. Although traffic volumes are increasing, this section of I-35E remains relatively free-flowing, even during rush hour. An I-35E/MN 77 combination serves as a good alternative to I-35W through Burnsville and Bloomington, although the MN 77 Minnesota River bridge can get congested during peak periods. This section of I-35E also serves as a good "lower-traffic" through route for through traffic traveling I-35.

Roadway Configuration

4 lanes south of MN 77
6 lanes between MN 77 and Yankee Doodle Rd
8 lanes north of Yankee Doodle Rd

Average Daily Traffic Counts

Location	1982	1984	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994
N of I-35/I-35E	7,300	6,900	7,600	13,500	17,500	17,500	21,000
N of CSAH 42	8,700	11,500	15,700	24,500	29,000	32,000	35,000
N of CR 11	11,600	14,500	24,000	32,500	38,000	38,000	46,000
N of MN 77	N/A	N/A	19,500	30,000	33,000	39,000	46,000
N of Cliff Rd	N/A	N/A	22,500	35,500	39,500	45,500	51,000
N of Diffley Rd	N/A	N/A	23,600	37,000	41,500	47,000	53,000
N of Pilot Knob/Yankee Doodle	N/A	N/A	26,500	45,500	50,000	50,000	70,000
N of Lone Oak Rd	N/A	N/A	29,500	51,900	57,000	62,000	82,000

Location	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	10-yr '96-'06 Change
N of I-35/I-35E	23,500	26,500	37,000	41,000	43,000	39,000	+66%
N of CSAH 42	39,500	40,000	47,500	50,000	52,000	53,000	+34%
N of CR 11	50,000	52,000	59,000	61,000	63,000	63,000	+26%
N of MN 77	48,000	53,000	62,000	66,000	68,000	69,000	+44%
N of Cliff Rd	55,000	62,000	70,000	74,000	77,000	74,000	+35%
N of Diffley Rd	58,000	66,000	72,000	75,000	79,000	79,000	+36%
N of Pilot Knob/Yankee Doodle	72,000	83,000	93,000	97,000	100,000	100,000	+39%
N of Lone Oak Rd	79,000	92,000	103,000	104,000	107,000	107,000	+35%

Opened between I-35/I-35E and MN 77 in 1982.
Opened between MN 77 and I-494 in late 1985. 1986 counts reflect this.

Click HERE for the Exit List

Speed Limit

70 MPH throughout, except 55 MPH at the northernmost end near I-494.

History

Constructed between I-35/I-35W and MN 77 in 1982.
Constructed north of Lone Oak Rd in 1984 (note: I-494 was not completed until 1986).
Constructed between MN 77 and Lone Oak Rd in 1985.

Future Plans

No significant plans that I am aware of.

Froggie Suggests

Reconstruct the Dakota CSAH 42 and Cliff Rd/Dakota CSAH 32 interchanges into single-point interchanges.
Add an auxiliary lane in each direction between Dakota CR 11 and MN 77.
Add C/D roads onto MN 77 at the MN 77 interchange.
Study the feasibility of adding flyovers at the MN 77 interchange.
Study the feasibility of adding ramps to/from MN 55.

Images (click on a thumbnail for a larger view)

This 1958 map shows 3 alternate routings for I-35E between I-35/I-35W in Burnsville and I-494 in Eagan. A routing similar to Alt 2, but curving east of Blackhawk Lake, was ultimately selected.

Links

Last updated 24 May, 2008