US 12 West Metro

West Metro

This page covers US 12 from the Wright/Hennepin County line to I-394/I-494 in Minnetonka. Total length of this section is approximately 16.7 miles.

Description

US 12 is one of four primary routes leading into the Twin Cities metro from the west (the other three being US 212, MN 7, and MN 55). Most of this portion of US 12 is a 2 lane road that has not seen significant change in decades. The easternmost portion, well within the Twin Cities metro, was upgraded to freeway in stages between 1972 and 1986. Although widening of US 12 to 4 lanes had long been proposed west of Wayzata, disagreements between Long Lake, Orono, and Maple Plain on alignment, plus a desire by county and local officials in Independence to limit development pressures in western Hennepin County, all led to a decision by MnDOT in 1996 to stop any further planning on a 4-lane US 12. Plans since then have centered on improvements to the existing route similar to the ongoing reconstruction as a Super-2 expressway in Wright County, plus the 2-lane freeway bypass of Long Lake currently under construction.

Roadway Configuration

2 lane highway from Delano to just west of Hennepin CSAH 15
3 lanes (2 + center left turn lane) through Maple Plain and Long Lake
6 lane freeway from just west of Hennepin CSAH 15 to I-394/I-494
Leftmost eastbound lane is HOV-2 weekdays from 6am-9am, from Hennepin CSAH 15 to I-394/I-494

Average Daily Traffic Counts

Location	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	10-yr '96-'06 Change
E of Delano	12,200	12,200	12,700	14,500	14,500	14,100	+16%
E of CSAH 92	12,900	12,900	14,100	16,000	16,100	16,500	+28%
E of CSAH 90	13,800	14,300	15,300	17,600	16,000	14,900	+8%
E of CSAH 83	15,000	15,500	17,000	18,500	18,000	17,400	+16%
E of CSAH 29	15,500	18,500	18,000	20,000	18,500	17,700	+14%
E of CSAH 6	18,000	19,900	20,000	20,600	21,000	17,700	-2%
E of Old Crystal Bay Rd	20,600	22,000	22,500	24,100	24,000	24,000	+17%
E of Willow Dr	22,000	24,300	25,500	26,000	26,000	25,000	+14%
E of Brown Rd/CSAH 146	24,000	26,000	26,500	28,000	25,000	24,700	+3%
E of Wayzata Blvd	22,500	26,000	22,500	23,000	21,000	24,700	+10%
E of CSAH 15	40,000	42,000	44,000	44,000	44,000	46,000	+15%
E of Central Ave/CSAH 101	48,000	51,000	54,000	54,000	55,000	58,000	+21%
E of CSAH 101 SOUTH	65,000	69,000	72,000	72,000	74,000	74,000	+14%
E of Carlson Pkwy	70,000	73,000	76,000	76,000	79,000	78,000	+11%

East of Carlson Pkwy includes traffic on the C/D roads.

Click HERE for the Exit List

Speed Limit

55 MPH from Delano to Maple Plain
35-50 MPH through Maple Plain
55 MPH from CSAH 29 to Old Crystal Bay Rd
35-50 MPH from Old Crystal Bay Rd to east of Brown Rd/CSAH 146
45 MPH from east of Brown Rd/CSAH 146 to Wayzata Blvd
65 MPH from Wayzata Blvd to I-394/I-494

Future Plans

Construction of a Super-2 freeway bypass of Long Lake is underway. The project will include a half-interchange to/from the east at Wayzata Blvd/existing US 12 and a full interchange at CSAH 6. Completion is expected in 2008.
Minor improvements will continue to be pursued west of Long Lake to Delano, but no significant improvements are being considered.

Froggie Suggests:

Construct a 4-lane controlled-access freeway generally south of the existing alignment, beginning at Meridian Ave just east of Montrose, looping south of Delano and Maple Plain, and using the under-construction Super 2 alignment around Long Lake. Provide interchanges at MN 25 NORTH, Wright CSAH 17, Hennepin CSAH 92, Hennepin CSAH 110, Hennepin CSAH 6 (proposed), and Wayzata Blvd (proposed).

Links

Last updated 12 May, 2008