Southern
Metro Fringe
This page covers I-35 from
its interchange at Exit 69 with MN 19 to the I-35W/I-35E
split in Burnsville. Total length of this section is
approximately 19 miles.
Description
I-35 serves as the "gateway"
to the Twin Cities metropolitan area from the south. To the
south, it connects to cities such as Des Moines, Kansas City,
Oklahoma City, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonia, and the Mexican
border at Laredo, TX. As such, it is a major truck route,
and also serves as a major commuting route closer to the
metropolitan area, serving rapidly growing communities in
southwestern Dakota County and southeastern Scott County.
Roadway
Configuration
- 4 lanes south of Dakota CSAH 5/CSAH 50
- 5 lanes (2 northbound, 3 southbound) between CSAH 5/50 and just south of CSAH 46
- 6 lanes from near CSAH 46 to the I-35E/I-35W split
Average Daily Traffic Counts
| Location |
1980 |
1982 |
1984 |
1986 |
1988 |
1990 |
1992 |
1994 |
| South of MN 19 |
11,700 |
13,300 |
N/A |
13,500 |
16,700 |
17,300 |
20,800 |
24,700 |
| South of Scott CSAH 2 |
14,000 |
15,800 |
17,800 |
16,100 |
19,000 |
21,000 |
21,500 |
25,500 |
| South of Dakota CSAH 70 |
14,900 |
16,700 |
19,100 |
17,900 |
20,500 |
23,800 |
24,500 |
28,000 |
| South of 185th St W |
16,600 |
19,500 |
23,700 |
22,800 |
25,500 |
30,500 |
32,000 |
38,000 |
| South of Dakota CSAH 50 |
17,400 |
20,300 |
25,600 |
26,000 |
29,500 |
36,300 |
38,000 |
45,000 |
| South of Crystal Lake Rd |
22,700 |
25,400 |
28,900 |
33,400 |
39,800 |
46,500 |
50,000 |
58,000 |
| South of I-35E/I-35W split |
22,300 |
25,000 |
26,700 |
30,000 |
36,800 |
42,500 |
45,000 |
52,000 |
| Location |
1996 |
1998 |
2000 |
2002 |
2004 |
2006 |
10-yr
'96-'06
Change |
| South of MN 19 |
26,000 |
24,500 |
29,200 |
31,800 |
34,000 |
34,000 |
+31% |
| South of Scott CSAH 2 |
25,600 |
29,500 |
34,500 |
36,500 |
39,000 |
40,000 |
+56% |
| South of Dakota CSAH 70 |
28,500 |
32,900 |
39,000 |
40,000 |
46,000 |
42,000 |
+47% |
| South of 185th St W/CSAH 60 |
38,500 |
45,000 |
54,000 |
53,000 |
49,000 |
55,000 |
+43% |
| South of Dakota CSAH 50 |
46,500 |
56,000 |
71,000 |
68,000 |
77,000 |
70,000 |
+51% |
| South of Dakota CSAH 46 |
54,000 |
64,000 |
80,000 |
79,000 |
87,000 |
83,000 |
+54% |
| South of Crystal Lake Rd |
63,000 |
80,000 |
95,000 |
94,000 |
102,000 |
104,000 |
+65% |
| South of I-35E/I-35W split |
58,000 |
72,500 |
87,000 |
89,000 |
97,000 |
101,000 |
+74% |
Dakota CSAH 46 interchange opened after 1994 counts were taken.
Click
HERE for the Exit
List (from Matt Salek's site)
Speed Limit
History
- Constructed between MN 19 and Scott CSAH 2 in 1964.
- Constructed between Scott CSAH 2 and I-35W/E junction in
1966.
- Southbound Rest Area south of Scott CSAH 2 constructed in
1982.
- Widened near I-35E junction in 1982.
- Widened between Dakota CSAH 5/50 and I-35W/E, and
interchange constructed at Dakota CSAH 46, in 1995.
- Interchange at Dakota CSAH 60 reconstructed into full interchange in
2002, with additional interchange construction (adding an EB-NB loop) in
2005-06.
Future Plans
- Dakota County is promoting two additional interchange projects, a full
upgrade at CSAH 5/50 and reconstruction/upgrade at CSAH 70. The
proposed reconstruction at CSAH 70 will involve a 5-ramp partial-cloverleaf
(with 2 loops),
favoring movements to/from the north, while the proposal at CSAH 5/50 is for
a 5-ramp partial-cloverleaf with a loop from SB CSAH 5 to NB I-35.
The CSAH 70 interchange is currently (as of fall 2006) slated for a 2007-08
construction. No timetable for the CSAH 5/50 interchange, though some partial work was done
there in 2004-05.
- Although south of the section covered on this page,
interchange improvements at I-35/MN 60 in Faribault are
proposed as a long-range project.
- Another long-range goal is extending a 3rd through lane each direction
south at least to CSAH 70. This is currently unfunded.
- MnDOT has completed a
BRT study
along the I-35W corridor. This study recommended changes, improvements needed, and
proposed stations for a Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) route along I-35W. The BRT routing would include
part of I-35 between Lakeville and the I-35E/35W split in Burnsville.
- In early 2008 and related to the BRT study, MnDOT was awarded a Federal
grant under the Urban Partnership Agreement from the U.S. Department of
Transportation for improvements to the I-35W corridor. Within
Lakeville, this grant will include construction of a park-and-ride lot on
the site of the former Orchard Garden Weigh Station on I-35.
- As of early 2007, legislation sponsored in the Legislature recommends
study of an LRT line along the I-35W corridor, which may extend along part
of I-35 as well.
Froggie Suggests
- Interchange improvements at MN 19.
- Widen to 6 lanes from MN 19 to Dakota CSAH 46. At a minimum,
extend the 6-lane section south to Dakota CSAH 60.
- Add an auxiliary lane in each direction between Dakota
CSAH 5/50 and the I-35E/35W split.
- Reconstruct the Dakota CSAH 70 interchange as planned.
- Expedite reconstruction of the Dakota CSAH 5/50 interchange.
- At the rate Dakota County is growing, it will need
another east/west principal arterial south of Dakota CSAH
42 soon. I suggest planning this arterial as a
controlled-access facility between I-35 and US 61.
Begin a feasibility/location study to determine the best
location to put the arterial, with a western terminus at
I-35 somewhere between CSAH 5/50 and the Dakota/Scott
County line, with provisions for extension west of I-35
if necessary in the future.
Links
Last updated
12 May, 2008