Interstate 35 in Minnesota

This article is about the section of Interstate 35 in Minnesota. For the entire length of the highway, see Interstate 35.

Interstate 35
Interstate 35 highlighted in red
Route information
Defined by MS § 161.12(2)
Maintained by Mn/DOT
Length:	220.46 mi (354.80 km)
Southern section
South end:	I-35 towards Des Moines, IA
Major junctions:	I-90 near Albert Lea US 14 at Owatonna
North end:	I-35E / I-35W at Burnsville
Northern section
South end:	I-35E / I-35W at Columbus
Major junctions:	US 8 at Forest Lake US 2 at Duluth I-535 / US 53 at Duluth
North end:	MN 61 at Duluth
Location
Counties:	Freeborn, Steele, Rice, Scott, Dakota, Anoka, Washington, Chisago, Pine, Carlton, St. Louis
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Business Minnesota Trunk Highways Interstate US State Legislative routes ← MN 34 I-35E →

In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 35 (I-35) is a highway in southeast, east-central, and northeast Minnesota. The route runs north–south from the Iowa state line through the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul; where it splits into Interstates 35E and 35W; and ends in the city of Duluth at its junction with Minnesota State Highway 61. Not including the mileage on I-35E or I-35W, I-35 is 220 miles (350 km) in length.

Route description

I-35 enters the state from Iowa near Albert Lea. It heads roughly due north towards the Twin Cities, where it splits into I-35E and I-35W. The two halves of I-35 rejoin north of the Twin Cities. From there, I-35 travels north-northeast; south of Duluth, it becomes more northeasterly. The route ends near the shore of Lake Superior in Duluth. The entire route is officially designated the Red Bull Highway, named after the 34th Infantry (Red Bull) Division. Legally, Interstate 35 is defined as Routes 390, 395, and 396 in the Minnesota Statutes § 161.12(2); however, the route is not marked with those numbers. The I-35 legislative route designation and mileposts follow I-35E in the Twin Cities area.

Southern segment

I-35 enters the state in Freeborn County south of Albert Lea. The first mile northbound contains a rest area and Minnesota welcome center. Shortly after the first exit, for Freeborn County Highway 5 (County 5), there is a sweeping S curve to the northwest and back to the north. The exit for County 13 marks the last exit before Albert Lea. Up to here, the interstate roughly marked the halfway point between U.S. Route 65 (US 65) and US 69. Both US Highways end in Albert Lea.

In Albert Lea, it curves to the northeast and meets US 65, which passes beneath the interstate. US 65 picks up Interstate 35 Business (I-35 Bus.), which follows the US Highway through the city. It then crosses Albert Lea Lake of a pair of one-quarter-mile-long (0.40 km) bridges. It straightens back to the north to meet County 46, which follows the former route of US 16. Shortly after that interchange, it intersects the national northern end of US 65; however, there access to US 65 is limited to the southbound lanes of I-35 and traffic from US 65 can only access the northbound lanes of I-35. At the northeastern edge of Albert Lea, there is an interchange with I-90, which directs traffic to La Crosse, Wisconsin, or Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

I-35 continues north through the rolling hills of southern Minnesota. At Clarks Grove, it intersects State Highway 251 (MN 251). Between there and the County 35 exit to Geneva, it passes to the west of Geneva Lake. Just east of Ellendale is an interchange with MN 30. Exit 32, County 4 to Hope, is the last interchange before Owatonna. On the southern edge of Owatonna is an interchange with US 14. As of June 2012, the interchange was being rebuilt as a full cloverleaf interchange; previously, it was a trumpet interchange. US 218 begins just east of the interchange along US 14. Currently, US 14 overlaps I-35 for two miles (3.2 km) before exiting to the west. The northern US 14 exit also serves County 45 to the east. North of US 14, the County 34 exit serves northern Owatonna and provides access to the Owatonna Degner Regional Airport. The County 9 exit serves Clinton Falls and a Cabela's.

Further north, I-35 meets County 12 and County 23 in Medford. Along County 23, which serves as a western frontage road to I-35, lies an outlet mall. Now in Rice County, the interstate approaches Faribault. Exit 55 only serves exiting northbound traffic and entering southbound traffic. MN 60 is the main east–west street through Faribault, and MN 21 provides access to Fairbault from the north of town. MN 21 ends at MN 60; however the road continues south and reconnects to I-35 at exit 55.

North of Faribault, the interstate heads due north before the two directions are briefly separated when they enter a corridor of trees. The route straightens out again and intersects County 1 and MN 19 at diamond interchanges spaced three miles (4.8 km) apart. It briefly enters Scott County where it meets County 2 near Elko New Market. It then enters Dakota County and the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

In southwestern Lakeville, there is a folded diamond interchange with County 70. Right before a partial cloverleaf interchange with County 60, the interstate crosses Marion Lake. Shortly after an interchange with County 5 and County 50 there is a park and ride complex on the northbound side of the interstate. An entrance and exit ramp provide access to the interstate while two entrances from Kendrick Avenue, a frontage road, provide non-interstate access to the complex. After the County 46 interchange, the interstate enters Burnsville. A half diamond interchange, with only northbound exit and southbound entrance ramps, immediately precedes the split. I-35 splits into I-35W and I-35E (signed for Minneapolis and Saint Paul, respectively).

Northern segment

Interstates 35W and 35E join again at Columbus, near Forest Lake. The route then continues as Interstate 35. In contrast to the rolling terrain of I-35 south of the Twin Cities area, this region is quite flat. This is the Anoka Sand Plain, an area that was formed by outwash under the last glaciers that lay over this area as they melted. This is an extensive region that continues north for another twenty miles (32 km). The urban sprawl of the northern Twin Cities continues along I-35 to North Branch.

In Pine City and Hinckley, there are museums near I-35 commemorating the Great Hinckley Forest Fire that occurred in 1894.

Between Sandstone and Moose Lake, the landscape around I-35 makes a dramatic change. Exposed granite can be seen at the surface, and the deciduous forest changes to evergreens.

I-35 climbs Thompson Hill as it approaches the city of Duluth. As the highway enters the city limits at Boundary Avenue, the Saint Louis River and Lake Superior are in view. I-35 then descends Thompson Hill into Duluth, with numerous exits. The freeway has an interchange with I-535 / U.S. 53, known locally as the "Can of Worms". The junction features a pair of left exits from I-35, a stoplight, and lane drops over the I-35 bridge. Map and aerial photo

I-35 then proceeds to downtown Duluth. After multiple exits, I-35 leaves the downtown area and follows the Lake Superior shoreline for two miles (3 km) to its national northern terminus at its junction with Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. At this junction where Interstate 35 ends, Highway 61 begins its route northeast along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

History

Interstate 35 in Minnesota was authorized as part of the primary interstate network in 1956. It was mostly constructed in the 1960s. The route in Minnesota replaced portions of old U.S. Highway 61 and old U.S. Highway 65.

I-35 was generally constructed along former routes of U.S. 65 south of the Twin Cities and U.S. 61 north of the Twin Cities.

The first section to be constructed (the first Interstate Highway opened in Minnesota) was about 10 miles (16 km) north of Owatonna, immediately west of present day Steele County Road 45 and Rice County Road 45.

By 1961, the section of I-35 around Hinckley and Sandstone was under construction.

Three lanes each way have been constructed on I-35 between the I-35E / I-35W split at Columbus to U.S. Highway 8 at Forest Lake. Three lanes have also been constructed on I-35 northbound at Thompson Hill, right before entering the city of Duluth. Additionally, three lanes have been constructed on I-35 southbound in Duluth at Thompson Hill between Central Avenue and U.S. Highway 2-westbound. Three lanes in each direction have also been constructed on I-35 in Duluth between the Can of Worms interchange (I-535 / U.S. 53) and the Mesaba Avenue interchange.

From November 1971 to October 1987, the national northern terminus for Interstate 35 was its interchange with Mesaba Avenue in Duluth.

The last section of Interstate 35 in Minnesota to be constructed was around downtown Duluth. The I-35 extension to Lake Avenue in Duluth was open to traffic in October 1987. The temporary I-35 extension to 10th Avenue East in Duluth was open to traffic in November 1989. The I-35 extension to its present day junction with 26th Avenue East and Highway 61 in Duluth was open to traffic in October 1992.

Notes

Interstates 35 and 35E closely parallel U.S. Highway 61 from the city of Saint Paul to the city of Wyoming.

Interstate 35 parallels Chisago County Road 61, State Highway 361, Pine County Road 61, and Carlton County Road 61.

State Highway 23 runs concurrent with Interstate 35 between Hinckley and Sandstone.

Exit list

County	Location	Mile	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Worth	Hartland Township				I-35 south / Iowa 27 begins	Continuation into Iowa
		0.000	0.000	Iowa–Minnesota state line
Freeborn	Freeman Township	2.492– 2.522	4.010– 4.059	2	CR 5
		5.276	8.491	5	CR 13 – Twin Lakes, Glenville
	Albert Lea	7.987– 7.995	12.854– 12.867	8	I-35 Bus. north / US 65 – Albert Lea, Glenville
		11.498	18.504	11	CR 46 – Albert Lea
		12.560– 12.654	20.213– 20.365	12	I-35 Bus. south / US 65 south – Albert Lea	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Bancroft Township	13.247	21.319	13	I-90 – La Crosse, Sioux Falls	Signed as exits 13A (east) and 13B (west)
	Clarks Grove	18.745	30.167	18	MN 251 east – Clarks Grove, Hollandale
	Geneva Township	22.963	36.955	22	CR 35 – Hartland, Geneva
Steele	Summit Township	26.640	42.873	26	MN 30 – New Richland, Blooming Prairie
	Somerset Township	32.817	52.814	32	CR 4 – Hope
	Owatonna	39.981	64.343	40	US 14 east / US 218 south – Owatonna, Rochester, Austin	South end of US 14 overlap
		41.766	67.216	41	Bridge Street
		42.509	68.412	42	US 14 west / CR 45 east – Waseca, Owatonna	North end of US 14 overlap; signed as exits 42A (east) and 42B (west)
		43.524– 43.548	70.045– 70.084	43	CR 34 (26th Street)
		45.520– 45.544	73.257– 73.296	45	CR 9 – Clinton Falls
	Medford	48.057	77.340	48	CR 12 / CR 23 – Medford
Rice	Faribault	55.590	89.463	55	Faribault	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
		56.918	91.601	56	MN 60 – Waterville, Faribault
		59.107	95.123	59	MN 21 – Le Center, Faribault
	Forest Township	66.696	107.337	66	CR 1 – Montgomery, Dundas
	Webster Township	69.679	112.137	69	MN 19 – Northfield, New Prague
Scott	New Market Township	76.841	123.664	76	CR 2 – Elko New Market
Dakota	Lakeville	81.842	131.712	81	CR 70 – Farmington, Lakeville
		84.340	135.732	84	CR 60 (185th Street West)
		85.509	137.613	85	CR 5 / CR 50
		86.636	139.427	86	CR 46
	Burnsville	87.824	141.339	87	Crystal Lake Road	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
		88.268	142.054	88A	I-35W north – Minneapolis	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
					I-35 ends / I-35E north – St. Paul	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
See I-35W and I-35E
Anoka	Columbus	127.497	205.187		I-35 begins / I-35E south – St. Paul	Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
				127	I-35W south – Minneapolis	Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
		129.467	208.357	129	MN 97 / CR 23
Washington	Forest Lake	131.773	212.068	131	CR 2 – Forest Lake
		132.279	212.882	132	US 8 east – Taylors Falls	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
Chisago	Wyoming	135.721	218.422	135	US 61 south / CR 22 – Wyoming
	Stacy	139.983	225.281	139	CR 19 – Stacy
	Lent Township	143.762	231.363	143	CR 17
	North Branch	147.928	238.067	147	MN 95 – Cambridge, North Branch
	Harris	152.610	245.602	152	CR 10 – Harris
	Rush City	159.994	257.485	159	CR 1 – Rush City
Pine	Rock Creek	165.707	266.680	165	MN 70 – Rock Creek, Grantsburg
	Pine City	169.567	272.892	169	CR 7 – Pine City
		171.358	275.774	171	CR 11
	Mission Creek Township	175.350	282.198	175	CR 14 – Beroun
		180.400	290.326	180	MN 23 west / CR 61 – Mora	South end of MN 23 overlap
	Hinckley	183.105	294.679	183	MN 48 east / CR 61 – Hinckley
	Sandstone	191.382	307.999	191	MN 23 east / CR 61 – Sandstone	North end of MN 23 overlap
	Finlayson Township	195.615	314.812	195	MN 18 / MN 23 – Askov, Finlayson
	Willow River	205.477	330.683	205	CR 43 – Bruno, Willow River
	Windemere Township	209.889	337.784	209	CR 46 – Sturgeon Lake
Carlton	Moose Lake	214.694	345.517	214	MN 73 – Moose Lake
	Moose Lake Township	216.080	347.747	216	MN 27 – Moose Lake	Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
	Barnum	220.637	355.081	220	CR 6 – Barnum
	Mahtowa Township	227.354	365.891	227	CR 4 – Mahtowa, Wrenshall
	Twin Lakes Township	235.487	378.980	235	MN 210 – Carlton, Cromwell
	Cloquet	237.227	381.780	237	MN 33 – Cloquet, Iron Range
	Scanlon	239.204	384.962	239	MN 45 south / CR 45 north – Cloquet, Scanlon
	Thomson Township	242.157	389.714	242	CR 1 – Thomson, Esko
Carlton–St. Louis county line	Thomson–Midway township line	245.199– 245.259	394.610– 394.706	245	CR 61
St. Louis	Midway Township	246.351– 246.396	396.464– 396.536	246	CR 13 (Midway Road)
	Proctor	249.627	401.736	249	Boundary Avenue, Skyline Parkway
	Duluth	250.667	403.409	250	US 2 west – Grand Rapids, Proctor	South end of US 2 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance only
		251.229– 251.395	404.314– 404.581	251A	Cody Street	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
		252.054	405.642	251B	MN 23 south (Grand Avenue)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		252.419	406.229	252	Central Avenue
		253.173	407.442	253A	US 2 east / LSCT east (Bong Bridge) – Wisconsin	North end of US 2 overlap
		253.701	408.292	253B	40th Avenue West
		254.845	410.133	254	27th Avenue West
		255.395	411.018	255	I-535 south / US 53 (21st Avenue West) – Wisconsin	Signed as exits 255A (north) and 255B (south)
		256.248– 256.272	412.391– 412.430	256A	MN 194 west (Mesaba Avenue) / Superior Street	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
		256.809– 257.250	413.294– 414.004	256B	5th Avenue West, Lake Avenue
		259.062	416.920	258	21st Avenue East	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
		259.606	417.795	259	MN 61 / LSCT – North Shore	Northbound exit only; northern end of LSCT concurrency
		259.639	417.848		LSCT (London Road) / 26th Avenue East	At-grade intersection
Concurrency terminus       Closed/former       HOV only       Incomplete access       Tolled/ETC       Unopened

External links

Template:Attached_KML/Interstate 35 in Minnesota

Interstate 35
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