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

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

History

Future Plans

Froggie Suggests

Links

Last updated 12 May, 2008