Top Bottlenecks of 1959

This interesting list came from the archives of the Minneapolis Star (precursor to the StarTribune).  In mid-1959, the Star published a series of articles detailing the major bottlenecks of the time.  The following is the list of bottlenecks, plus any major system changes that have occurred since then.  Interesting to see that some things simply haven't changed:

RANK

BOTTLENECK LOCATION

CHANGES SINCE THEN?
1 Franklin Ave/27th Ave/E River Rd in Minneapolis None.  Some traffic shifted from Franklin Ave to I-94 when I-94 opened.
2 Robert St/Kellogg Blvd in St. Paul Kellogg Blvd reconstructed ca. late '80s.
3 MN 5/MN 55/then-MN 100 (NW end of Mendota Bridge, near Fort Snelling) MN 5 and MN 55 upgraded to freeways in the area.
4 Hennepin Ave/Lyndale Ave in Minneapolis Former system of two 2-way streets converted to existing system when I-94 was constructed early '70s.  Still a mess...
5 Snelling Ave/University Ave No major changes.  Some traffic shifted from University to I-94 when I-94 opened.
6(tie) MN 100/US 169 in Brooklyn Park Present-day location of I-94/I-694/MN 252 interchange.
6(tie) MN 100/US 169 in St. Louis Park Present-day MN 100/50th Street interchange (actually, US 169 ran along Eden Ave, which is on an overpass over MN 100 near that old 1-room school).
7 Larpentur Ave/Lexington Ave in St. Paul Larpentur Ave reconstructed ca. late '80s.
8 W. Lake St in Minneapolis Realigned near Uptown to a pair of 1-way streets in late 80s.  Still a mess...
9 Lyndale Ave/Washington Ave/42nd Ave N in Minneapolis Intersection changes when I-94 was built in mid '80s.
10 University Ave/10th Ave SE None.  Some traffic shifted from 10th Ave to I-35W when I-35W opened.

The following list is also from the 1959 Star article series, listing the "honorable mentions":

BOTTLENECK LOCATION

CHANGES SINCE THEN?
Franklin Ave/Riverside Ave/31st Ave in Minneapolis None.  Some traffic shifted from Franklin Ave to I-94 when I-94 opened.
Wabasha Ave/Kellogg Blvd in St. Paul Kellogg Blvd reconstructed ca. late '80s.
MN 13/MN 55/MN 100 near Mendota MN 100 became MN 110.  Reconstruction of MN 55, with an interchange at MN 110 and realignment of MN 13 in early '90s.
MN 13/US 65 in Burnsville US 65 upgraded to I-35W in early '60s.
Rice St/University Ave in St. Paul None.  Some traffic shifted from University Ave to I-94 when I-94 opened.
MN 100/E. River Rd in Fridley Present-day location of I-694/E. River Rd. interchange
MN 100/US 8 in New Brighton Presently an overpass over I-694.  I-694/I-35W interchange is a short ways east.
MN 100 Inver Grove bridge Formerly the toll bridge.  MN 100 (and subsequently I-494) moved to Wakota Bridge in late 1959.
MN 100/Excelsior Blvd in St. Louis Park Converted to an interchange with the gradual upgrade of MN 100 to freeway.
Rice St. in St. Paul None.  Some traffic shifted from Rice St to I-35E when I-35E opened.
66th St/Lyndale Ave in Richfield. None.  Some traffic shifted to MN 62 (then-CSAH 62) and I-35W when those freeways opened.  66th St itself was gradually reconstructed between I-35W and Nicollet Ave during the '70s.
66th St/Portland Ave in Richfield. None.

 

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Page last modified 14 July, 2007