Cedar Avenue is a roadway that runs from Minneapolis to Northfield in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The roadway is known as Minnesota State Highway 77 in the busiest portion of the route, from Minneapolis to Apple Valley. The portions north and south of this are county roads, Hennepin County 152 and Dakota County 23, respectively. Its northern terminus in Minneapolis is at Washington Avenue in Cedar-Riverside, though its alignment is briefly interrupted by an interchange at Hiawatha Avenue to the south.

Cedar Avenue
North end Washington Avenue, Minneapolis
South endGreenvale Avenue, Northfield

Route description

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Cedar Avenue at East 24th Street in Minneapolis, looking southbound.

Cedar Avenue begins as a two-lane, undivided road in the northwestern edge of Northfield at Greenvale Avenue. It goes north, following the Falk Avenue-Eveleth Avenue plane into Dakota county, jogs west to Foliage Avenue at 320th St and west again to Galaxie Avenue at 280th Street. From 280th Street northward, Cedar Avenue is relatively continuous, with official signage first showing the name near 250th Street. There is a small rural commercial district between 250th Street and Lakeville, containing multiple greenhouses and a Buddhist temple. In Lakeville just south of 215th Street, Cedar becomes a wider four-lane roadway, and gradually more urban as it enters Lakeville. In Apple Valley Cedar goes to six lanes, and becomes a main suburban thoroughfare. At the north end of Apple Valley, near 140th Street, the county road portion ends, and Cedar becomes Minnesota State Highway 77.

 
Cedar Avenue Bridge over Minnesota River in Bloomington

Cedar Avenue continues north through Eagan and across the Minnesota River at the Cedar Avenue Bridge in Bloomington. North of East Old Shakopee Road, the Cedar Avenue name is not officially signed. Cedar Avenue passes the Mall of America near its junction with Minnesota State Highway 5/Interstate 494. It continues as a freeway on the east edge of Richfield before entering Minneapolis as a two-lane city street. At the southern border of Minneapolis, its designation at Highway 77 ends and it becomes Hennepin County Road 152. Cedar continues straight north, directly across a causeway over Lake Nokomis. At Lake Street, it passes the Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery. At Hiawatha Avenue, the road jogs slightly east to facilitate an interchange. Traffic then goes west again, and north through the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, named after the avenue. The final junction of Cedar is at Washington Avenue. This final terminus is known as Seven Corners. Hennepin County Road 152 continues into downtown Minneapolis on Washington Avenue South.

The portion south of 250th St W in Eureka Township is no longer signed as Cedar Avenue for compliance with the Dakota County grid. Nevertheless, it remains Dakota County 23 and is usually referred to as Cedar Avenue[1] (example [2]).

Historical changes

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In Dakota County, Cedar Avenue was re-routed between Interstate 35E and the Minnesota River, to accommodate the freeway and new river crossing. The old Cedar Avenue is now known as Nicols Road.

In Hennepin County, Cedar Avenue was rebuilt slightly east of its old alignment. The old alignment is known as Old Cedar Avenue, and is no longer continuous; it is interrupted at Highway 5/494, 66th Street, and Minnesota State Highway 62. Old Cedar Avenue and Cedar Avenue merge at Edgewater Boulevard in Minneapolis.

At Hiawatha Avenue, Cedar Avenue was rerouted slightly east to accommodate an interchange.

Downtown, Cedar Avenue used to cross the Mississippi River at what is now the 10th Avenue Bridge; instead, it now ends at Washington Avenue.

Cultural district

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In 2020, Minneapolis officials designated a portion Cedar Avenue South as one of seven cultural districts in the city.[3] The district's boundaries were centered around the intersection of Cedar and Riverside avenues in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The purpose of the cultural district was to promote racial equity, preserve cultural identity, and promote economic growth.[4][5]

Bus Rapid Transit

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Between Mall of America and 155th Street, Cedar Avenue houses the Red Line, previously known as the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transitway.

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[6][7]kmDestinationsNotes
RiceNorthfield0.731.17Greenvale AvenueSouthern terminus; CSAH 43 signage continues until Forest Avenue
RiceDakota
county line
1.05
0.000
1.69
0.000
 
 
 
 
CSAH 43 ends / CSAH 23 begins / North Avenue
Street assumes CSAH 23 mileage
DakotaGreenvale Township0.9171.476 
 
CR 96 east (320th Street)
Northern end signed Eveleth Avenue; south end of CR 96 overlap
2.0003.219 
 
CR 96 west (320th Street)
Southern end signed Foliage Avenue; north end of CR 96 overlap
GreenvaleEureka
township line
6.31710.166 
 
CSAH 86 east (280th Street) – Castle Rock
Northern end signed Foliage Avenue; south end of CSAH 86 overlap
6.51710.488 
 
CSAH 86 west (280th Street)
Southern end signed Galaxie Avenue; north end of CSAH 86 overlap
Eureka Township8.83314.215 
 
CSAH 80 east (255th Street)
South end of CSAH 80 overlap
9.51415.311 
 
CSAH 80 east (250th Street)
Southern end signed Cedar Avenue; northern end signed Galaxie Avenue; north end of CSAH 80 overlap
Lakeville13.36421.507 
 
CSAH 50 east (Lakeville Boulevard)
South end of CSAH 50 overlap; formerly MN 50
14.25922.948 
 
CSAH 50 west (202nd Street)
North end of CSAH 50 overlap
Apple Valley19.493–
19.500
31.371–
31.382
  CSAH 42
20.612
0.000
33.172
0.000
 
 
 
 
CSAH 23 ends / MN 77 begins / 138th Street
Street assumes MN 77 mileage
1.5712.528  CR 38 – Zoo
1.9773.182127th Street / Palomino DriveSouthbound exit and northbound entrance only
Eagan2.566–
3.122
4.130–
5.024
  I-35E – St. Paul, Albert LeaI-35E exit 92
3.6925.942  CSAH 32 (Cliff Road)
4.7077.575  CR 30 (Diffley Road)
5.2018.370Cedar Grove Transit StationBuses only; left exits
5.4468.764  MN 13 – St. Paul, Shakopee
HennepinBloomington7.58712.210  CSAH 1 (Old Shakopee Road)
8.41513.543Killebrew Drive / Lindau Lane
Unorganized Territory of Fort Snelling8.176–
9.735
13.158–
15.667
   I-494 / MN 5I-494 exits 2B-C
10.03716.153Diagonal BoulevardSouthbound exit and entrance only
10.55916.993  CSAH 53 (66th Street)
11.393
17.628
18.335
28.370
  
 
 
 
MN 62 / MN 77 ends / CSAH 152 begins
Street assumes CSAH 152 mileage
Minneapolis14.01722.558  CSAH 3 (Lake Street)
13.254–
13.187
21.330–
21.222
  MN 55
12.780–
12.723
20.567–
20.476
 
 
I-94 east
Access to eastbound I-94 only
12.360–
12.301
19.891–
19.797
U of M East Bank / 3rd StreetCSAH 122 / formerly MN 122
12.22519.674Washington AvenueNorthern terminus; CSAH 152 continues on Washington Avenue westbound
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Map of Northfield" (PDF). Rice County. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-27.
  2. ^ "Neighbors ask for a speed reduction and get increase instead". Northfield News.
  3. ^ Staff (2020-08-14). "Minneapolis City Council Approves 7 New Cultural Districts To Advance Equity, Fuel Economic Growth". WCCO. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  4. ^ "Cultural Districts ordinance (2020-00446)" (PDF). City of Minneapolis. 2020-08-22.
  5. ^ "City Council approves boundaries for seven new Cultural Districts". City of Minneapolis News. 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  6. ^ "Trunk Highway Log Point Listing - Construction District 5" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. August 20, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 27, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  7. ^ "Logpoint Listings". Minnesota Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.