SD 42 comprises three segments for a total 71.97 miles between U.S. 281 in Aurora County and the Iowa state line southeast of Rowena. The westernmost segment exists wholly within Aurora County for 5.8 miles east to the Davison County line. The central segment, from Bridgewater east to Sioux Falls, doubles as the historic alignment of U.S. 16. The eastern portion runs just 6.87 miles from SD 11 to Iowa 9.
SD 42 replaced the original U.S. 16 alignment in 1977 when the US route shifted northward onto Interstate 90. SD 42's eastward extension from Bridgewater lengthened the route to SD 38 in Sioux Falls.1
Further changes in SD 42 occurred in 1995 when the route replaced all of SD 38 from Interstate 29 east to the Iowa state line. That renumbering occurred with the truncation of SD 38 at Exit 83 (60th Avenue North), leaving SD 42 to follow 12th Avenue North into Sioux Falls from Exit 79.1
Within city of Sioux Falls, SD 42 followed Business Loop Spur I-29 east from Exit 79 of I-29 to Minnesota Avenue (Business Spur I-90 & SD 115) in Downtown and Business Loop I-229 east from Minnesota Avenue to Interstate 229 (Exit 6). Business Loop I-229 also follows Minnesota Avenue south from Downtown to I-229. Many of the Business Route shields display "Downtown" instead of Business.
All Business Spurs/Loops within the city of Sioux Falls, in addition to SD 42 and SD 115, were turned over to the city from the state in 2006. The jurisdictional shift allows the city to control traffic management of those routes. Removal of the state highway signage is the city's responsibility. The maintenance shift leaves SD 42 to end at Ellis Road to the west of Sioux Falls and at Six Mile Road east of Sioux Falls.2
South Dakota Highway 42 Guides
- Schwartze, Brad: email: "Some Notes on South Dakota Roads That You've Visited Last Year," July 11, 2008.
- The South Dakota Highways Page: Highways 31 to 60 (Chris Geelhart).
http://www.northernplainshighways.org/ sdakota/sd31-60.html
Connect with:
Interstate 29
Interstate 229
Page Updated 07-19-2016.