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Regional Boards => Great Lakes and Ohio Valley => Topic started by: TheHighwayMan3561 on July 03, 2010, 06:10:19 PM

Title: Major I-35 reconstruction in Duluth
Post by: TheHighwayMan3561 on July 03, 2010, 06:10:19 PM
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/duluthmegaproject/

This started in early May right as it was time for me to head home for the summer.

Eventually, all of I-35 in Duluth will have no less than major construction done - which means an old I-35 South shield located between Lake Ave and I-535 is in danger.  :-/

The project started last year with reconstruction of the western interchange with US 2 on the southwest edge of the city. I also wish that they would rebuild and make the I-535 interchange less of a mess, but there's probably no funding for it.
Title: Re: Major I-35 reconstruction in Duluth
Post by: mgk920 on July 04, 2010, 12:02:08 AM
And too bad that there aren't any current plans to extend I-35 to feed into the MN 61 four lanes at the northeast end of town.

:poke:

:no:

Mike
Title: Re: Major I-35 reconstruction in Duluth
Post by: TheHighwayMan3561 on July 04, 2010, 12:07:22 AM
Quote from: mgk920 on July 04, 2010, 12:02:08 AM
And too bad that there aren't any current plans to extend I-35 to feed into the MN 61 four lanes at the northeast end of town.

:poke:

:no:

Mike
I think such a plan would be too environmentally costly. Personally I wouldn't be too happy with such a plan.

I'd rather they restore the US 61 designation than anything.
Title: Re: Major I-35 reconstruction in Duluth
Post by: triplemultiplex on July 05, 2010, 02:05:04 PM
Rolled through Duluth on Memorial Day returning from Canada and they already had the SB I-35 ramp to SB I-535/US 53 closed.  Rather than take the posted detour which makes you get off the freeway and whip a U-ey on surface streets, I just used the Bong Bridge. It's a shame they're not going to do any upgrades to that 535 interchange.  Most of those ramps are too tight and on the left.

I'd love for MinnDOT to punch I-35 the rest of the way through Duluth.  Just keep it butted up against the northwest side of the railroad tracks, but at a lower grade to allow for tunnel sections, particularly under Superior St.  Alas, that is not going to happen anytime soon. Or ever.

MinnDOT did study the London Road corridor and I thought they had some options for different alignments, but in the end they're just doing some spot improvements; some turn lanes, a few right in-out junctions & a roundabout.
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/d1/projects/londonroad/index.html (http://www.dot.state.mn.us/d1/projects/londonroad/index.html)

I love that drive up the North Shore; except for the 4 miles of residential street in Duluth.  That and Two Harbors, which could use a bypass.
Title: Re: Major I-35 reconstruction in Duluth
Post by: froggie on July 05, 2010, 07:35:17 PM
There's not enough room to put even a 2-lane bypass along the rail tracks without serious impacts to residential areas.
Title: Re: Major I-35 reconstruction in Duluth
Post by: texaskdog on July 01, 2011, 03:51:21 PM
I thought there was supposed to be a two harbors bypass, in which they even moved bettys pies. Did that just die off?
Title: Re: Major I-35 reconstruction in Duluth
Post by: froggie on July 06, 2011, 04:35:07 PM
There were rudimentary proposals for a Two Harbors bypass 40 years ago, but they never got to the environmental study phase, let alone moving buildings for the right-of-way.

No, Betty's Pies got moved because MnDOT was improving existing Hwy 61, not building a bypass.
Title: Re: Major I-35 reconstruction in Duluth
Post by: texaskdog on July 06, 2011, 09:10:00 PM
Oh, I heard it called a bypass, after what they had done past Gooseberry & with the tunnels