I-35W South Metro (outside the Beltway)

North Metro (outside the Beltway)

This page covers I-35W from I-694 in Arden Hills to the I-35W/I-35E split in rural Anoka County. This includes a roughly 1.9 mile duplex with US 10. Total length of this section is approximately 15 miles.

Description

The main gateway from northeastern Minnesota to the Minneapolis side of the Twin Cities metro, I-35W generally replaced US 8 along this corridor. In particular, the section between the two US 10 interchanges was overlaid directly on top of old US 8. Rapid growth in eastern Anoka County and Chisago County is fueling traffic increases along this stretch (recent year changes notwithstanding), and the I-694 and Lake Dr interchanges are known bottlenecks.

Roadway Configuration

6 lanes from I-694 to US 10 EAST/CSAH 10
8 lanes from US 10 EAST/CSAH 10 to US 10 WEST
4 lanes north of US 10 WEST
Northbound auxiliary lane from US 10 WEST to Lake Dr

Average Daily Traffic Counts

Location	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	10-yr '96-'06 Change
North of I-694	96,000	102,000	111,000	112,000	118,000	118,000	+23%
North of CSAH 96	89,000	96,000	104,000	101,000	108,000	108,000	+21%
North of US 10 EAST/CSAH 10	84,000	93,000	120,000	121,000	130,000	130,000	+55%
North of County Road H	87,000	95,000	123,000	126,000	136,000	136,000	+56%
North of County Road I	82,000	90,000	118,000	120,000	130,000	131,000	+60%
North of US 10 WEST	63,000	68,000	71,000	73,000	81,000	82,000	+30%
North of County Road J/Lake Dr	46,000	52,000	57,000	53,000	60,000	61,000	+33%
North of 95th Ave NE	40,000	45,000	50,000	47,500	53,500	56,000	+40%
North of Lexington Ave NE	32,000	36,000	40,000	39,000	44,500	43,500	+36%
North of CSAH 23	29,500	31,300	36,000	35,500	41,500	37,000	N/A

Click HERE for the Exit List

Speed Limit

65 MPH from I-694 to just north of Lake Dr
70 MPH north of Lake Dr

History

Opened from I-694 to near County Road I in 1964.
Opened between County Road I and Anoka CSAH 23 in 1968.
Opened between CSAH 23 and 35W/35E merge in 1969.
Widened to 8 lanes between US 10 EAST and US 10 WEST ca. 2000.
Interchange at 95th Ave NE reconstructed ca. 2004.

Future Plans

MnDOT recently completed a corridor management plan for this segment. The goal is for improved bus service, improved interchanges, and major widening...to as many as 12 lanes along the 35W/10 duplex. As can be expected, MnDOT doesn't have the funding to implement very much of this. Funding has only been identified for improvements to the Ramsey CSAH 96 interchange in the 2015-2025 timeframe.
Anoka County might spearhead a push for a new interchange in the vicinity of Anoka CSAH 14. This would tie into another proposed interchange on I-35E at 80th St northeast of Centerville.

Froggie Suggests

Widen I-35W to 8 lanes between I-694 and US 10 EAST.
Reconstruct the CSAH 96 interchange into a half-interchange to/from the south, with "free rights" favoring movements between the south (along I-35W) and east (along CSAH 96).
Reconstruct the interchange at US 10 EAST/CSAH 10 to provide 2 lanes in each direction along the US 10 ramps.
Widen I-35W/US 10 to 12 lanes between US 10 EAST and US 10 WEST.
Reconstruct the County Road H interchange into a half-diamond to/from the north.
Build C/D roads between County Road I and County Road J/Lake Dr.
Add ramps to/from the north at County Road J.
Widen I-35W to 8 lanes from US 10 WEST to Lexington Ave/Anoka CSAH 17.
Widen I-35W to 6 lanes from CSAH 17/Lexington Ave to I-35/I-35E.
Add a new interchange in the vicinity of Anoka CSAH 14.

Links

Last updated 12 May, 2008