Help I need directions through town coming from Canada (Minneapolis: construction, best)

[Moonandtaiga]

Hi There, I will be heading to South Dakota from Ontario heading down from Duluth. I have to pass through Minneapolis. I'm a bit freaked out about driving through a big city. I need to take the 35 and than connect with the 90.

So my question is to get through the city what is the best route most direct route without any turns if possible. The 35W or the 35E. Do both these connect with the 90?

Thanks for your help!

[fromupthere]

It is just a matter of whether or not you want to go through Minneapolis or St. Paul. Minneapolis is 35W and St. Paul is 35E. Otherwise it is just I35. On the north side just after Forest Lake you decide on 35W or 35E and on the south side north of Lakeville they merge back into I35. I35 and I90 do not meet until you are about 15 miles from the Minnesota/Iowa border.

[MplsTodd]

I-35E would probably be the easiest, as there's generally less traffic in St Paul than in Minneapolis, plus you'd avoid the re-construction of the I-35W/Crosstown Highway Interchange (about 5 miles south of DT Mpls).

For me, of course, I like the drive through Mpls as you do get great views of the downtown skyline (especially when you cross the new I-35W Mississippi River Bridge)

[Norsky1]

If you are making it a round trip, take one on the way and one on the way back and see both cities.

[golfgal]

I agree, stay on 35E from Duluth through St. Paul. 35E merges with 35W which then becomes 35-no turns, just merges you can't avoid or miss. 35 then connects to I 90 in Albert Lea about an hour 15 minutes or so after the 35E/35W merge. I-90 is a straight shot over to South Dakota. Sioux Falls is about 3 1/2 hours from the Twin Cities.

[Moonandtaiga]

On the 35E are there any turns or confusing merge lanes or is it a straight through?

Thanks all by the way. I'm a pretty nervous driver in cities.

[fromupthere]

I get very nervous driving in the Twin Cities so I can understand your wanting to know. As far as I now, 35E is pretty straightforward. Just follow the signs. I only really know it from St. Paul to Duluth as the Rochester exit is in St. Paul. But I don't recall anything being confusing south of that exit either.

[Ghengis]

35E is likely your least confusing route and less likely to include road construction closures. The only confusing parts are where it merges with the Northern Loop (I694) in White Bear Lake and again as it merges briefly with I94 in downtown St Paul. Stay towards the center lanes in those two areas and follow "35E".

If you have an older GPS map it may not be updated at the 35E/694 merge and will try to send you into the right-hand lane which you don't want. Also, the speed limit is 45 when you head back south from the brief I94 merge in downtown St Paul and the coppers are always pulling people over in that section of 35E.

If possible avoid going through the cities between 7-9 am and 4-6 pm (M-F).

Check out this link, your 35E route is to the East side of the map...
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/tmc/traff...efreshmap.html

[Moonandtaiga]

Awesome, and thanks so much for the help!

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by Moonandtaiga

Hi There, I will be heading to South Dakota from Ontario heading down from Duluth. I have to pass through Minneapolis. I'm a bit freaked out about driving through a big city. I need to take the 35 and than connect with the 90.

So my question is to get through the city what is the best route most direct route without any turns if possible. The 35W or the 35E. Do both these connect with the 90?

Thanks for your help!

Why not just avoid the cities all together and take a more direct route? Here's how: At the next exit south of Hinckley on "the 35" (as you call it--here in MN, we just call it "35" or I-35" ), take Highway 23 west. It's a diagonal that you take all the way across the state, and it drops you on to I-90 just a couple miles from the South Dakota border. It's a good road, and St Cloud is the only city of any size you will encounter. Plus, it's way shorter in miles than taking the L-shaped 35/90 routing you asked about.

Have a good trip!