Intercity Transit and Highways (Part II)

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The city's population peaked in 1950 at 521,718. Soon, however, with the construction of freeways, the migration to the suburbs accelerated.

Interstate highways 35-W and 94 were opened in Minneapolis between 1967 and 1982. The construction of these freeways was not without controversy, as critics complained of the loss of housing stock and the disruption of neighborhoods. Other freeways that were planned during this period were postponed or cancelled due to neighborhood opposition. Land was cleared for Interstate 335 in Northeast Minneapolis in the 1970s before the project was abandoned. The site for a freeway along Hiawatha Avenue was cleared in the 1960s, but was not built due to community opposition to loss of green space. This opposition continued during the road's upgrade to a highway in the 1980s and during further upgrades and the addition of a light-rail line in the 1990s and after.

Boarding a bus on Nicollet Mall, April 1974.
Municipal Information Library, Slide Collection, MIL1592.

Today, as cities across the country strive to contain sprawl and reduce pollution, many have turned to mass transit. Minneapolis is the site for the first light-rail transit system in the state, under construction in 2000.

	Freeway Construction in Minneapolis
	Minnesota 55/Olson Mem. Hwy.		Divided highway opened Oct. 1940
	U.S. 12/I-394		Divided highway opened 1939
			Expanded I-394 officially opened Oct. 1992
	Hennepin Cty. 62/Minnesota 62	France Ave. to future I-35W	1963
		Future I-35W to Minnesota 55/Hiawatha Ave.	1965
	Interstate 35W	Highway 62 to 31st St.	Jan. 1967
		31st St. to Downtown	Nov. 1967
		I-94 to University Ave.	June 1973
		University Ave. to E. Hennepin	Sept. 1973
		E. Hennepin to Minnesota 36 in Roseville	Nov. 1975
	Interstate 94	St Paul to Hennepin/Lyndale intersection	Dec. 1968
		Lowry Hill Tunnel	Dec. 1971
		Lowry Hill Tunnel to Dowling Ave. N.	Nov. 1981
		Dowling Ave. N. to I-694	Nov. 1982
	Minnesota 55/Hiawatha Ave.		Planned freeway not built due to community opposition, 1970s; highway upgrade with light rail line, 1990s-2000
	Interstate 335		Cancelled due to community opposition, 1972-1982
	"Southwest Diagonal"		Cancelled due to community opposition, 1965
	"28th Street Crosstown"		Planned 1960s, never built
	"Cedar Ave. Freeway"		Planned 1960s, never built north of County 62

Construction of the Lowry Hill Tunnel for Interstate 94 (June 1970).
Municipal Information Library, Slide Collection, MIL1935.

Traffic on Interstate 35W at Diamond Lake Road (July 1972).
Municipal Information Library, Slide Collection, MIL0058.

Construction at Hiawatha Ave. and Minnehaha Parkway in preparation for light rail, July 2000.
Photo courtesy of Chris Gregerson, Phototour of Minneapolis

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