Length: 21 Region: SE

Legislative Route(s): 198

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: Completely paved by 1953.

Comments: Part of Great River Road coming north from Iowa. A beautiful drive. In the original 1934 numbering plan, 26 may have been intended for TH-5, raising the question of what this route was proposed to be. One possibility is 182, the designation on the Iowa route which that state changed to 26 to match this route.

Length: 261 Regions: WC, EC

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 190, 10, 205, 3, 135, 28, 71, 1

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment, or possibly based on adjacent Constitutional Route 27 (U.S. 10 through Little Falls)

History: Between Lake Mille Lacs and MN-65 originally followed current

Current alignment originally designated

Several Constitutional Route segments, others authorized 1933. The segment between Little Falls and Onamia (L.R. 71) was actually originally authorized as the first legislative route in 1923, running from Little Falls to Milaca. This route would have run along Constitutional Route 18 (current U.S. 169) between Onamia and Milaca, but a court found that for this reason the law authorizing the route was unconstitutional. L.R. 71 was authorized again in 1933, except that it runs from Little Falls to Moose Lake. Original route between MN-47 and MN-65 was over what is now MN-18; original designation of current MN-27 between these routes was MN-66. Easternmost segment of TH-27 is old U.S. 61 through Moose Lake.

Improvements: The section southwest of Lake Mille Lacs was still dirt in 1940. The segments east of Isle were gravel into the 50s, and the last segment east of MN-65 was not paved until the 70s.

Comments: Duplexed with MN-65 for 23 miles, perhaps the longest state highway duplex in Minnesota.

Length: 125 Region: WC

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 28

How numbered: Same as Constitutional Route designation

History: Constitutional Route over its entire length

Improvements: Entire route was paved by 1940.

Length: 125 Region: WC

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 38, 29

How numbered: Part of route is Constitutional Route 29; remainder numbered for route continuity.

History: Entire route Constitutional Route.

Improvements: Most of the route was paved by 1940.

Length: 253 Regions: SW, SE

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 89, 47, 92, 82, 41, 77

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment.

History: West of MN-15 originally designated

Two separate Constitutional Route segments: between MN-23 and MN-4, and between U.S. 218 and MN-56. Other segments authorized 1933. Originally designated as MN-47 from SD State Line to MN-4. Renumbered in 1963.

Improvements: In 1940, only the western segment was paved. In the 1950s, the central portions were still gravel. Paved in its entirety by 1963.

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 176, 6, 31, 168, 138

How numbered: Part of route was Constitutional Route 31; remainder numbered for continuity

History:

Westernmost segment originally

Eastern segments originally

Entire route now designated

In 1934, T.H. 31 designation extended east to U.S. 71. In early 1950s, extended west over former U.S. 71 and T.H. 116 to North Dakota border, and east over former T.H. 85, later T.H. 92, to Walker. In 1969, renumbered MN-200.

Length: 146 Region: WC, NW

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 177, 32

How numbered: Part of route is Constitutional Route 32; remainder numbered for route continuity.

History: Northern segment Constitutional Route; southern segment authorized 1933.

Improvements: In 1940, the route was mostly gravel north of U.S. 2. By 1953, only southernmost five miles were gravel.

Length: 19 Region: NE

Legislative Route(s): 164 (also incorporates 55)

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment.

History: Authorized 1933. Original route ran southwest from Cloquet parallel to U.S. 61, and intersected 61 south of U.S. 210. By 1953, the route ran along its current alignment.

Improvements: Mostly paved except the former segment south of 210 by 1940. Being constructed to expressway standards (except for portion through Cloquet) with a 65 mph limit.

Comments: Major connecting route between I-35 and U.S. 53 toward the Iron Range.

Length: 103 Regions: WC, NW

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 182, 34

How numbered: Part of route is Constitutional Route 34; remainder numbered for route continuity.

History: East of Walker now part of

Constitutional Route east of U.S. 10; west segment authorized 1933. Portion east of MN-371 redesignated MN-200 around 1969.

Improvements: In 1940, this westerly segment was unpaved. East of U.S. 10, ran along the current alignment of MN-225 through Ponsford until about 1942. By 1953, all but the west segment was paved.

Length (MN): 220 not including mileage on I-35W or 35E Regions: SE, M, EC, NE

Legislative Route(s): 390, 395, 396

How numbered: Interstate Highway

History: South of Twin Cities generally follows previous route of

North of Twin Cities generally follows previous route of

Authorized as part of primary interstate network in the mid-50s. The segment from northeast of downtown Duluth was authorized using interstate substitution money.

Improvements: The first segment to open (the first interstate highway opened in Minnesota) was about 10 miles north of Owatonna west of existing MN-218. By 1961, the segment around Hinckley and Sandstone was under construction. Last segment around downtown Duluth completed in the early 90s. Three lanes each way between I-35W/35E north to U.S. 8, and on Thompson hill entering Duluth. Tunnels through downtown Duluth and under Leif Erickson Park.

Comments: Generally constructed along former routes of U.S. 65 south of Twin Cities and U.S. 61 north of Twin Cities. Divides at Twin Cities into I-35W and I-35E. Legislative route designation and mileposts follow I-35E. U.S. 61 parallels both I-35E and I-35 from St. Paul to Wyoming, just north of Forest Lake, but has been decommissioned from Wyoming north. The original plan for construction through Duluth was to build along the lakeshore and connect with the U.S. 61 expressway. That plan was scrapped east of 26th Avenue, but the new design actually rescued the downtown Duluth lakeshore.

Length: 39 Region: M

Legislative Route(s): 394

How numbered: "West" branch of I-35

History: South of Minneapolis generally follows former route of

Minneapolis to I-35E replaced former

For more details on history see I-35

Improvements: First segment completed was from Burnsville through Bloomington to the current Lyndale Avenue connector in south Minneapolis, completed around 1959 (a segment of freeway or expressway possibly planned for U.S. 65 prior to development of the interstate system). Last segment was through northeast Minneapolis, completed around 1977. Two lanes from the split with I-35 northward, shortly thereafter widens to three lanes at Burnsville Pkwy. (much of this segment has one lane as a HOV lane) from I-35 to I-494, two lanes (third under construction through the Crosstown Commons, then three from MN-62 to 46th. St. Four lanes to the downtown interchange, two lanes continue from that point. Three lanes after Hiawatha Avenue onramp to the MN-36 split before MN-280, and from the MN-280 junction to the southerly U.S. 10 junction. Four lanes from there to U.S. 10 westbound, three to Lake Drive and two from there north. At the junction with I-35E to form I-35, narrows to one lane.

Being improved between I-494 and 46th St. by adding a third lane in the median as a HOV lane. Should open in early 2001 up to MN-62. Crosstown Commons will be rebuilt beginning in 2001 to eliminate the weaving that is currently required. Offramps to MN-62 will be moved to right side.

Comments: West leg of I-35 through Twin Cities. North of Minneapolis, closely follows former route of U.S. 8. It is significant that the Twin Cities and Dallas-Ft. Worth --- both on I-35 --- are the only remaining locations where an interstate route has alternate legs with a directional suffix appended to the number. While AASHTO has decreed this practice is no longer acceptable, nearly all the other instances of numbering interstates this way across the U.S. were spur routes that did not return to the parent route, rather than alternate legs. The alternative would be to number one of the branches I-235, but since even prefixes indicate a loop through or around a city while the main route goes around or through, this would not be an accurate numbering method either. One branch could be I-33 or I-37 also, but that wouldn't communicate the fact that the routes rejoin. In the limited cases like this, -W and -E suffixes are the best way of communicating the direction of these routes.

Exit Lists: Visit Adam Froehlig's exit lists for I-35W:
Exit list for I-35W south of I-94
Exit list for I-35W north of I-94

Length: 41 Region: M

Legislative Route(s): 390

How numbered: "East" branch of I-35

History: See I-35

Improvements: First segment completed was north of downtown St. Paul, around 1961. Last segment was the segment south of I-494, around 1985. Three lanes, with several auxiliary lanes, from I-35 to MN-110. Counterintuitively, two lanes from there along the "parkway" segment to downtown St. Paul. Three lanes from I-94 to I-694. The Mississippi River bridge will be widened to six lanes in the next couple of years.

Comments: East leg of I-35 through Twin Cities. The segment from W. 7th St. (MN-5) to I-94 in downtown St. Paul was the subject of protracted litigation between area residents and MnDOT. MnDOT finally won the right to construct the freeway after a 15 year battle, but the settlement resulted in construction of a "parkway" section with a truck prohibition and 45 mph speed limit. Actually, this is no New York-style parkway; rather, it's a four-lane freeway with an unrealistically low speed limit, ostensibly to control noise, and a nice planter in the median. This route has the continuation of mileposts and exit numbers from I-35, and also has the same LR number. So, were the directional suffixes to be eliminated, this would be the more likely candidate to carry I-35 through the Twin Cities.

Exit Lists: Visit Adam Froehlig's exit lists for I-35E:
Exit list for I-35E south of I-94
Exit list for I-35E north of I-94

Length: 17 Region: M

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 118, 45

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

NHS: Entire length

History: Part of former route south of Minneapolis now designated

Easternmost segment originally designated

For history of original route south of MN-62, see MN-77. Authorized 1933 except for portion that formerly ran south of MN-5. Originally ran from Stillwater west to downtown Minneapolis via County Roads C and B (replaced by a divided highway on the current freeway alignment by the early 1940s), connecting to Broadway and Johnson Street. South of downtown Minneapolis, ran along Cedar Avenue. I believe the corresponding legislative route was 118, which then turned west along 46th St. as TH-90, until LR 279 was authorized in 1949; the segment between 46th St. and TH-5 (78th St.) was not part of the trunk highway system until that year, though it was marked as TH-36 from 1934 (as an "accommodation route"). Original terminus was at MN-5 until the mid 1950s, and then the route was extended south across the Minnesota River to MN-13. The section of old MN-36 south of MN-62 is now designated MN-77, remainder (Cedar Ave. through Minneapolis) is CSAH 152. On east end, formerly terminated at MN-212 (now MN-5), with remainder of route to Wisconsin border designated MN-212 until around 1983.

Improvements: Paved by 1940, with divided highway segment between Cleveland Avenue and U.S. 61. Now freeway from I-35W to east of U.S. 61, remainder of route is divided highway to just south of Stillwater (for about 4 miles between CSAH 36 and CSAH 15, posted 65 mph).

Comments: Originally was intended to run along a Cedar Avenue Freeway from downtown. Only the part south of MN-62, currently designated MN-77, was built. On the east end, controversy over the proposed replacement St. Croix River crossing has led to agreement to build the bridge north of the originally proposed location. Environmental studies will be completed by October 1999, but construction won't begin until a decision is made on what to do with the old lift bridge at Stillwater. MnDOT and WisDOT have announced that, unless local governments agree on a plan for the old bridge (one major sticking point), they will drop plans for the bridge and redesignate the money for other uses. Unfortunately, this will allow continuation of the weekend gridlock in Stillwater and will also put more pressure on WI-35 through Hudson. The Sierra Club is contesting the need for more than two lanes on the new bridge...IMO they won't be happy unless the new crossing consists of a cable-operated ferry holding no more than two cars at a time.

Exit list: Visit Adam Froehlig's exit list for Highway 36

Length: 27 Region: NE

Legislative Route(s): 216, 202

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment, or maybe because it is close to 35 (the former designation for MN-135).

History: Western segment originally designated

East of U.S. 53, authorized 1933. Between Hibbing and Eveleth, authorized around 1950. Segment between U.S. 169 at Hibbing and U.S. 53 originally designated MN-216, like the LR for that segment, until 1963.

Improvements: Paved by 1940. No significant divided segments.

Length: 47 Region: NE

Legislative Route(s): 196

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: Paved by 1940.

Comments: A very scenic (if twisty) road extending north from Grand Rapids that is a National Scenic Byway.

Legislative Route(s): 88

How numbered: Arbitrary designation

History: Now part of

Route designated in 1933, combined (along with original T.H. 17) around 1940 with T.H. 23.

Length: 1 Region: NE

Legislative Route(s): 213

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Formerly extended west to Carlton via current

Authorized around 1947.

Improvements: Apparently paved by the time it became a trunk highway.

Comments: From about 1958 to 1973, this designation previously extended over what is now MN-210 west to Carlton, where it intersected U.S. 61 (current MN-45) before construction of I-35.

Length: 73 Region: WC

Legislative Route(s): 276, 144, 145

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933, except for portion west of U.S. 75, authorized around 1950.

Improvements: All unpaved in 1940. By 1953, mostly paved except for just west of Willmar. All paved by 1958.

Length: 11 Region: M

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 260, 12

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: North of U.S. 212, part of Constitutional Route 12. South, authorized 1950.

Improvements: Original segment paved by 1940. Minnesota River bridge constructed early 1950s.

Length: 28 Region: SE

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 42

How numbered: Same as its Constitutional Route designation

History: Constitutional Route in entirety. One of three routes that still have their 1920 designations and extent. (Others are 44 and 58.) There may have been an intention around the time I-90 was constructed (around 1970) to extend this route south to I-90; L.R. 314 would have been this connection, but the extension of this route was apparently never marked, and L.R. 314 was deleted in the mid 1970s. This is surprising, since the length of this connecting segment would have been maybe five miles. And now, as of 2001, District 6 has agreed to accept Olmsted CSAH 7 from U.S. 14 south to I-90 and extend TH-42. (Why not go all the way to U.S. 52, since that segment of CSAH 7 is also a major connector to I-90 eastbound for U.S. 52 traffic?)

Improvements: Paved by 1940, on current alignment by 1953.

Comment: The 2001 legislation that authorized extension of this route to I-90 amended the description of Constitutional Route 42 rather than creating a new route for the I-90-U.S. 14 segment. This is the first time the constitutional route descriptions have been legislatively amended.

Length: 44 Region: SE

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 78, 43, 75

How numbered: Part of route is Constitutional Route 43; remainder numbered for route continuity.

History: Constitutional Route between Rushford and Winona, other two segments authorized 1933.

Improvements: In 1929, was paved from Wilson to Winona. By 1940, only gravel segment was south of Rushford. Entire route paved by 1953. In 1980s, a major project to rebuild the highway from I-90 to Winona as an expressway ran out of money, and only one carriageway was actually paved. There is still visible road bed and bridges east of the roadway in this segment.

Length: 34 Region: SE

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 44

How numbered: Same as its Constitutional Route number

History: Current authorized length is Constitutional Route. A westerly segment from U.S. 63 to Harmony (L.R. 331) existed from the 1970s to 1995, but has been turned back to Fillmore County. Same in extent and number as in 1920.

Improvements: Paved in total by 1940.

Length: 2 Region: NE

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 1

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Surviving segment is part of original

Remaining segment was originally part of U.S. 61, Constitutional Route 1. The route originally designated MN-45 is the extension of this route north of I-35 to Cloquet, which was Constitutional Route 55. This segment was turned back to Carlton County and the City of Cloquet around 1995.

Improvements: Paved as early as 1929.

Comment: This route does not currently include any of its original marked extent.

Length: 47 Region: NE

Legislative Route(s): 165

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: By 1953, there was one remaining gravel segment in the middle of this route. It was totally paved by 1958.

Comments: In the original 1934 numbering plan, 46 may have been intended for use on the route that became TH-110 (west of Lake Minnetonka). That raises the unanswered question of what this route was originally proposed to be.

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 89, 47, 92

How numbered: Part numbered for its Constitutional Route designation, remainder numbered for continuity.

History: Now part of

In 1933, existing T.H. 47 extended west and east along new Legislative Route segments. In 1963, the T.H. 30 designation was extended west along this route.

Length: 125 Region: M, EC

Legislative Route(s): 156, 110

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Originally part of

Authorized 1933. Southern end formerly extended down University Avenue to Washington (former junction with U.S. 12/52). The entire route was an extension of MN-56 until 1963 when it was redesignated.

Improvements: In 1940, nearly all gravel north of Anoka. By 1953, only the northerly segment near Aitkin was unpaved. North of Anoka, the route is all two-lane. The southerly segment through Anoka County was divided by about 1970, and the northerly 1/2 mile of this part is freeway, connecting with U.S. 10.

Comments: Eventually, this is likely to be turned back south of U.S. 10. There was a plan (briefly) in the 1960s to construct some interchanges at major intersections between I-694 and U.S. 10.

Length: 25 Region: EC

Legislative Route(s): 192

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: Paved by 1953. Major access to Grand Casino Hinckley and St. Croix State Park.

To: On north: U.S. 8 (1934-66); Lino Lakes Correctional Facility (1966-97); I-694 in Vadnais Heights (1997-98)

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): (1, 102),126, (326)

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: South end originally designated		Now designated
North end originally designated

Authorized 1933. Extended south along current T.H. 149 (originally T.H. 88) to T.H. 218 (later T.H. 3) around 1950. This segment renumbered T.H. 149 around 1980. North end originally ran north along Hodgson Road (now Ramsey and Anoka CSAH 49) and terminated at Lake Drive, which was originally U.S. 8. However, when I-35W was completed and the U.S. 8 designation moved onto the freeway, MN-49 was extended north along Lake Drive (now designated CSAH 23 in its entirety) to I-35W. At this time, it was consolidated with a state facility service route that extended north and west to the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility (L.R. 326, originally designated MN-326, now CSAH 159). The entire segment north of 694 was turned back in 1997 and the Legislative Route was eliminated in 1998. Final sign changes (indicating that the actual transfer of Rice St. south of I-694 may have been delayed until 2000) seen in summer 2000.

Length: 15 Region: M

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 50, 245

How numbered: Part of route is Constitutional Route 50; remainder numbered for route continuity.

History: Part of route of original

Non-Constitutional Route portion authorized 1950. Segment west of MN-3 to I-35 turned back to Dakota County as CSAH 50 in 1994. West of U.S. 52, this was the original route of U.S. 55, which ran west along the alignment of 50 and north along current I-35/35W to Minneapolis. Later, U.S. 65 followed this alignment from Farmington (current MN-3).

Improvements: The original Constitutional Route portion was paved as early as 1929. The newest segment east of Farmington was unpaved in 1953, paved by 1961.