South Metro (outside
the Beltway)
This page covers I-35W from
the I-35W/I-35E split in Burnsville to I-494 in Bloomington.
Total length of this section is approximately 8.7 miles.
Description
Most of this section of I-35W
originally opened up in late 1959, and was one of the first
sections of Interstate to open in the Twin Cities area.
Serving Burnsville and Bloomington, this corridor sees large
amounts of traffic, and the condition has deteriorated
considerably. Poor design, tight interchange spacing, and
the Minnesota River bridge all combine to create considerable
bottlenecks along this route. Some improvements have been
made in recent years, with the opening of a third lane each
direction between Burnsville Parkway and I-494. This third
lane serves as an HOV lane during peak periods, but is
underutilized and heavily violated.
Roadway
Configuration
-
4 lanes south of Burnsville Parkway
-
6 lanes north of Burnsville Parkway
-
Inside lane in each direction north of Burnsville Pkwy serves as
HOV-2 during 6-9am and 3-6pm timeframes
Average Daily Traffic Counts
| Location |
1980 |
1982 |
1984 |
1986 |
1988 |
1990 |
1992 |
1994 |
| South of CSAH 42 |
22,300 |
17,700 |
19,800 |
22,400 |
22,300 |
25,000 |
27,500 |
31,000 |
| South of Burnsville Pkwy |
44,500 |
37,000 |
41,000 |
46,600 |
51,400 |
52,000 |
58,000 |
59,000 |
| South of MN 13 |
48,900 |
42,000 |
47,600 |
53,500 |
58,700 |
60,000 |
66,000 |
68,000 |
| South of Cliff Rd |
68,000 |
58,000 |
63,000 |
69,500 |
76,000 |
77,000 |
83,000 |
83,000 |
| South of Black Dog Rd |
73,300 |
65,000 |
73,000 |
80,000 |
86,400 |
88,000 |
93,000 |
95,000 |
| Minnesota River bridge |
73,900 |
65,800 |
74,300 |
80,500 |
86,900 |
89,000 |
94,000 |
95,000 |
| South of 98th St |
71,600 |
65,000 |
71,600 |
80,600 |
87,000 |
87,000 |
91,000 |
91,000 |
| South of 94th St |
75,000 |
71,900 |
79,500 |
87,300 |
96,000 |
96,000 |
98,000 |
96,000 |
| South of 90th St |
79,700 |
74,300 |
82,000 |
92,500 |
100,500 |
102,000 |
105,000 |
104,000 |
| South of 82nd St |
83,200 |
77,700 |
86,000 |
95,100 |
103,000 |
105,000 |
107,000 |
105,000 |
| South of I-494 |
85,500 |
80,500 |
89,100 |
98,400 |
108,000 |
108,000 |
110,000 |
110,000 |
| Location |
1996 |
1998 |
2000 |
2002 |
2004 |
2006 |
10-yr
'96-'06
Change |
| South of CSAH 42 |
34,500 |
46,000 |
50,000 |
48,000 |
50,000 |
52,000 |
+51% |
| South of Burnsville Pkwy |
63,000 |
67,000 |
76,000 |
77,000 |
78,000 |
78,000 |
+24% |
| South of MN 13 |
71,000 |
74,000 |
81,000 |
83,000 |
86,000 |
86,000 |
+21% |
| South of Cliff Rd |
85,000 |
91,000 |
94,000 |
96,000 |
99,000 |
99,000 |
+16% |
| South of Black Dog Rd |
97,000 |
103,000 |
102,000 |
103,000 |
108,000 |
106,000 |
+9% |
| Minnesota River bridge |
98,000 |
104,000 |
105,000 |
107,000 |
109,000 |
106,000 |
+8% |
| South of 98th St |
93,000 |
101,000 |
102,000 |
102,000 |
103,000 |
102,000 |
+10% |
| South of 94th St |
100,000 |
109,000 |
109,000 |
109,000 |
112,000 |
110,000 |
+10% |
| South of 90th St |
105,000 |
116,000 |
116,000 |
116,000 |
116,000 |
114,000 |
+9% |
| South of 82nd St |
108,000 |
118,000 |
118,000 |
117,000 |
118,000 |
116,000 |
+7% |
| South of I-494 |
112,000 |
119,000 |
119,000 |
118,000 |
113,000 |
117,000 |
+4% |
Click HERE for the Exit List
Speed Limit
- 65 MPH south of 82nd St
- 55 MPH north of 82nd St
History
- Opened between I-494 and Burnsville Pkwy in late 1959.
- Opened between Burnsville Pkwy and the 35W/35E split in 1966.
- The Minnesota River bridge was redecked and widened in 1984 (though this
widening sat unused for a decade).
- The 98th St interchange was reconstructed in the late 1980s, adding a
westbound 98th to southbound I-35W loop.
- A 3rd lane (used as an HOV lane during peak periods) was added in each
direction between Burnsville Pkwy and I-494 in 1994.
- Reconstruction of the east side of the Cliff Rd interchange also was
done in 1994.
- A new bridge over I-35W was built at 80th St/American Pkwy (just south
of I-494) in 2005.
- Southbound I-35W 3rd lane extended from Burnsville Pkwy to CSAH 42 in
2007.
Future Plans
- Major reconstruction of the I-35W/I-494 interchange, including auxiliary
lanes between 86th St and I-494, is proposed but currently unfunded.
- Improvements to the CSAH 42 interchange are also proposed, but unfunded.
- MnDOT has completed a
BRT study
along the I-35W corridor, recommending implementation of a Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) route along I-35W. The BRT routing would likely
use the existing and planned HOV lanes along I-35W.
- 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. This agreement
includes conversion of the existing I-35W HOV lane into a HO/T lane,
construction of a northbound auxiliary lane between 90th St and I-494, construction of an auxiliary lane along southbound I-35W between 106th St
and MN 13, and construction of a park-and-ride parking garage with bus
service somewhere along the I-35W corridor in Bloomington.
- Another ongoing study relates to I-35W in the vicinity of MN 13,
covering the area from south of Burnsville Pkwy to the Minnesota River.
Several interchange options for the area are being considered, including
options at Burnsville Pkwy and at Cliff Rd.
- As of early 2007, legislation sponsored in the Legislature recommends
study of an LRT line along the I-35W corridor. This legislation did
not pass during the 2007 session.
Froggie Suggests
- Widen I-35W to 6 lanes between the 35W/35E split and CSAH
42.
- Reconstruct the interchange at CSAH 42 to provide a
"free right" for SB 35W to WB 42 traffic, and a
direct loop for EB 42 to NB 35W traffic.
- Widen I-35W to 8 lanes between CSAH 42 and MN 13 C/D
roads (see below).
- Construct a half-diamond interchange to the NORTH (SB
off, NB on) at McAndrews Dr/CSAH 38.
- Reconstruct the Burnsville Pkwy, MN 13, and Cliff Rd
interchanges to provide a continuous C/D road on each
side through the stretch. Add a flyover ramp for EB
13 to NB 35W traffic, and convert the Cliff Road
interchange into a folded diamond with Cliff Road being a
continuous road. Provide 3 through lanes each
direction on I-35W, and 2 lanes on each C/D road north of
MN 13.
- As an alternative to reconstructing the Cliff Rd interchange at its
existing location, consider building a new Cliff Rd interchange about 1/4
mile to the north, in coordination with city of Burnsville plans for the
area west of I-35W.
- Widen I-35W to 8 lanes between the MN 13 C/D roads (see above)
and 98th St/CSAH 1.
- Remove the Black Dog Rd interchange, and build a frontage
road between Black Dog Rd and Cliff Rd.
- Reconstruct the 98th St interchange and add a loop from EB 98th to NB
35W.
- Widen I-35W to 10 lanes between 98th St/CSAH 1 and I-494.
- Remove the 94th St interchange and build one-way frontage
roads on each side of I-35W between 90th St and 98th St.
- Reconstruct the I-494 interchange as proposed in the I-494 EIS.
- Implement a Bus Rapid Transit route along I-35W and study the
feasibility of an LRT route along the corridor.
Links
Last updated
12 May, 2008