South Metro (inside
the Beltway)
This page covers I-35W from
I-494 in Bloomington to the eastern end of the I-94/I-35W "Spaghetti
Junction" complex near downtown Minneapolis. This
includes a 1 mile duplex with MN 62. Total length of this
section is approximately 8.7 miles.
Description
This segment of I-35W is,
overall, the busiest freeway in Minnesota. It is the
primary route from downtown Minneapolis to the south and sees all the congestion
and problems of being THE primary route. Adding to the congestion problems are
poor condition and poor design, especially in the MN 62/"Crosstown
Commons" area. This portion of I-35W has seen a lot of controversy
over the years due to the residential areas it
borders, ranging from the homes destroyed for construction to the poor design of
the Crosstown Commons area (plans for major upgrading of the Commons date to
1968) to arguments over a
planning study from the late 80s/early 90s for identifying
improvements.
Roadway
Configuration
-
6 lanes from I-494 to 66th St (northbound is striped as only 2
lanes through the I-494 interchange)
-
4 lanes from 66th St to and through the MN 62 interchanges
-
6 lanes along the I-35W/MN 62 "Crosstown Commons" duplex
-
6 lanes from MN 62 East to 46th St
-
8 lanes from 46th St to the MN 65 split
-
4 lanes north of the MN 65 split
Average Daily Traffic Counts
| Location |
1980 |
1982 |
1984 |
1986 |
1988 |
1990 |
1992 |
1994 |
| North of I-494 |
69,800 |
69,100 |
78,700 |
82,500 |
90,500 |
92,000 |
93,000 |
93,000 |
| North of 76th St |
76,200 |
75,000 |
82,500 |
89,500 |
97,000 |
98,000 |
98,000 |
96,000 |
| North of 66th St |
74,600 |
73,500 |
80,600 |
87,600 |
94,500 |
96,000 |
95,000 |
90,000 |
| Between MN 121 and MN 62 WEST |
53,000 |
56,700 |
64,000 |
69,900 |
70,500 |
73,000 |
77,000 |
73,000 |
| I-35W/MN 62 duplex (W of Lyndale) |
103,200 |
109,500 |
123,100 |
130,000 |
139,000 |
146,000 |
147,000 |
144,000 |
| I-35W/MN 62 duplex (E of Lyndale) |
108,150 |
114,600 |
128,400 |
136,000 |
145,000 |
152,000 |
152,000 |
150,000 |
| Between MN 62 EAST ramps |
83,575 |
85,950 |
98,300 |
103,950 |
112,500 |
113,500 |
115,000 |
114,500 |
| North of MN 62 EAST |
111,500 |
118,100 |
135,500 |
143,000 |
157,000 |
157,000 |
162,000 |
157,000 |
| North of 60th St |
116,000 |
120,600 |
140,500 |
148,000 |
162,000 |
162,000 |
162,000 |
160,000 |
| North of Diamond Lake Rd |
118,500 |
123,100 |
142,500 |
149,800 |
164,500 |
166,000 |
167,000 |
162,000 |
| North of 46th St |
122,100 |
129,000 |
151,500 |
158,500 |
174,500 |
178,000 |
179,000 |
171,000 |
| Between 35th St/36th St ramps |
113,000 |
121,000 |
143,700 |
150,800 |
166,500 |
172,000 |
169,000 |
165,000 |
| North of 35th St |
125,700 |
134,900 |
158,300 |
167,900 |
185,000 |
191,000 |
198,000 |
190,000 |
| North of Lake St |
119,900 |
129,100 |
143,000 |
151,400 |
163,500 |
171,000 |
177,000 |
176,000 |
| North of MN 65 split |
63,500 |
68,900 |
73,100 |
76,500 |
85,500 |
92,000 |
93,000 |
90,000 |
| Location |
1996 |
1998 |
2000 |
2002 |
2004 |
2006 |
10-yr
'96-'06
Change |
| North of I-494 |
91,000 |
102,000 |
98,000 |
97,000 |
99,000 |
99,000 |
+9% |
| North of 76th St |
92,000 |
108,000 |
105,000 |
106,000 |
107,000 |
108,000 |
+17% |
| North of 66th St |
89,000 |
106,000 |
103,000 |
100,000 |
103,000 |
100,000 |
+12% |
| Between MN 121 and MN 62 WEST |
71,000 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| I-35W/MN 62 duplex (W of Lyndale) |
144,000 |
145,000 |
145,000 |
146,000 |
147,000 |
143,000 |
-1% |
| I-35W/MN 62 duplex (E of Lyndale) |
151,000 |
152,000 |
152,000 |
155,000 |
156,000 |
151,000 |
0% |
| Between MN 62 EAST ramps |
111,500 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| North of MN 62 EAST |
162,000 |
170,000 |
171,000 |
168,000 |
170,000 |
168,000 |
+4% |
| North of 60th St |
169,000 |
177,000 |
179,000 |
176,000 |
177,000 |
175,000 |
+4% |
| North of Diamond Lake Rd |
169,000 |
177,000 |
180,000 |
177,000 |
173,000 |
171,000 |
+1% |
| North of 46th St |
177,000 |
187,000 |
191,000 |
188,000 |
187,000 |
184,000 |
+4% |
| Between 35th St/36th St ramps |
168,000 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| North of 35th St |
187,000 |
191,000 |
210,000 |
203,000 |
207,000 |
204,000 |
+9% |
| North of Lake St |
170,000 |
181,000 |
187,000 |
184,000 |
192,000 |
191,000 |
+12% |
| North of MN 65 split |
86,000 |
96,000 |
103,000 |
98,000 |
97,000 |
94,000 |
+9% |
Click HERE for the Exit List
Speed Limit
- 55 MPH throughout
- 35 MPH advisory speed at the 90-degree curve near I-94 WEST
History
- Opened from I-494 to MN 121 in late 1959.
- Opened from MN 121 to MN 65 in 1967.
- Opened from MN 65 thru the I-94 commons in 1968.
- Widened to 6 lanes from I-494 to 66th St in 1999.
- "Crosstown Commons", from 66th St to 46th St, under reconstruction as of
2008.
Future Plans
- Reconstruction of the I-35W/MN 62 "Crosstown Commons"
was previously scheduled to begin in late 2001, but was subsequently delayed
due to a legislative requirement to study alternatives to MnDOT's
proposed plan. Parsons Brinckerhoff was contracted to conduct the study, and submitted an
alternative
that is in most ways superior to MnDOT's earlier plan,
but requires additional right-of-way and at the time cost about 50% more.
The cost has since increased further, to an estimated $285 million.
The plan includes major renovation of the commons area and nearby portions
of I-35W north to 46th St, completely separates through traffic on I-35W
from MN 62 through traffic, and provides a minimum of 6 through lanes on
I-35W and 4 through lanes on MN 62, with the inside lanes on I-35W being
HOV-2 during peak hours. Some litigation issues and a denial of
municipal consent by the city of Minneapolis held up the project in 2005.
After those were resolved, funding issues prevented bids in 2006, where at
one point MnDOT was asking potential contractors to front up to $96 million
of the project cost, with later reimbursement by MnDOT once funding caught
up. MnDOT finally found the funding to let the contract to a $288
million bid in spring, 2007, and the project is now underway with an
estimated completion in late 2010.
- An initial Minneapolis proposal to reconstruct the Lake St
interchange, add ramps to/from the north at Lake St, add
a northbound exit to 28th St, and move the interchange at
35th/36th Sts to 38th St has morphed into a much larger project.
Subsequent to the PB proposal for the above mentioned "Crosstown Commons",
this Lake St "mega-project now includes completing the widening of I-35W to 10 lanes
between MN 62 and downtown as well as a new ramp from NB I-35W to EB I-94
and direct bus/HOV lanes/ramps between I-35W and downtown. There is some money budgeted
for the interchange portion, possibly starting in 2009, with the rest
not presently set to begin until after 2020. Part of this proposal would move the I-35W Lake
St bus station from the outside lanes to the median.
- MnDOT has completed a
BRT study
along the I-35W corridor. This study recommends implementation of a Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) route along I-35W. The BRT routing would use the
proposed HOV lanes along I-35W and have "online" stations at Lake St and 46th St.
- 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. Amongst the
changes are conversion of the I-35W HOV lane into a HO/T lane, including the
new lane now under-construction as part of the Crosstown Commons project.
Another big change is conversion of the northbound inside shoulder between
46th St. and the downtown exit into a "priced dynamic lane shoulder",
basically a shoulder HOV lane that will be tolled under MnPASS and open
during rush hour. A third change, converting the 2nd Ave/Marquette Ave
bus lanes into dual bus lanes, isn't along I-35W directly but affects
express bus service along I-35W.
- 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 the 2007 session.
- MnDOT is also studying what to do with the I-35W/I-94 Commons area
(locally known as "Spaghetti Junction"), as part of the "Downtown
Minneapolis Freeway Study". Options range from minor striping
improvements to an "ultimate build" that would provide 3 through lanes in
each direction on I-35W plus access and ramp improvements and changes.
As of Summer 2007, the study is still ongoing.
Froggie Suggests
- Widen I-35W to 8 lanes between I-494 and the west MN 62 ramps (this is
suggested in the I-494 EIS).
- Expand the interchange at 76th St into a full interchange.
- Reconstruct the 66th St interchange into a SPUI.
- Expedite completion of the "Crosstown Commons" project.
- Widen I-35W to 10 lanes between the east MN 62 ramps and
the MN 65/I-35W split.
- Instead of building an interchange at 38th St, bridge the 35th St ramps over the 31st St ramps, to
remove the serious weaving problem.
- Add north ramps at Lake St to provide a full interchange,
and add C/D roads between the north Lake St ramps and I-35W/MN
65.
- Widen I-35W to 6 through lanes through the I-35W/I-94 "Spaghetti
Junction".
- Reconstruct and improve the I-35W/I-94 "Spaghetti
Junction".
- Implement the recommendations of the BRT study for points further south
along I-35W.
- In addition to implementing the BRT recommendations, construct an LRT
facility along the I-35W corridor from downtown to the Best Buy campus.
Links
Last updated
12 May, 2008