Cedar Avenue (Minnesota)

Cedar Avenue (Minnesota)
Name	Cedar Avenue
State	Minnesota
Type	County/State/US
Route numbers	County Road 23, State Highway 77
Length mi	approx. 30
DirectionA	South
TerminusA	Bloomington
DirectionB	North
TerminusB	Minneapolis
Counties	Hennepin County, Dakota County

Cedar Avenue (Minnesota) is a major arterial corridor linking Minneapolis and Bloomington with southern suburbs including Richfield, Edina, Eagan, Apple Valley, Burnsville and Lakeville. The route serves as a spine for commuter, freight and transit flows connecting to regional facilities such as Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Mall of America, Mississippi River, Minnesota River and a range of municipal, institutional and commercial nodes across Hennepin County and Dakota County.

Route description

Cedar Avenue begins near Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and proceeds south through Minneapolis, intersecting major corridors like Interstate 35W, Interstate 94, Interstate 494, Minnesota State Highway 62 and U.S. Route 169. Southward the avenue passes through Richfield and Bloomington adjacent to Minnehaha Creek, Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail, and the Twin Cities metropolitan area transit network. Continuing into Eagan, Cedar Avenue connects with Minnesota State Highway 13 and Highway 3 before reaching Apple Valley and Burnsville where it meets Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W spurs and ties into County Road systems of Dakota County. The southern segments extend toward Lakeville and rural townships near Credit River and Scott County boundaries, linking parks, schools and Fort Snelling-era alignments. Parallel and intersecting facilities include Minnesota State Highway 5, Minnesota State Highway 77, Minnesota State Highway 100, Lake Street, Hiawatha Avenue and Lyndale Avenue.

History

The corridor originated in 19th-century settlement patterns tied to Fort Snelling, Dakota Territory, St. Paul trade routes and agricultural landholdings near the Mississippi River. Early maps show Cedar Avenue connecting township roads used by Minnesota Territorial Legislature era settlers and later adapted during expansion linked to Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and Great Northern Railway influences. In the 20th century the avenue was upgraded concurrent with projects by Minnesota Department of Transportation and county engineers in Hennepin County and Dakota County to accommodate automobiles, suburbanization driven by World War II veterans, Interstate construction and retail developments such as Southdale Center and Mall of America. Transit evolution included Twin Cities Rapid Transit Company streetcar remnants and later integration with Metro Transit light rail and busway planning. Notable civic reactions involved Metropolitan Council planning debates, local municipal commissions in Edina, Richfield, Bloomington, and Burnsville, and preservation discussions tied to sites like Fort Snelling Historic District and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Flooding events on the Minnesota River and Mississippi River prompted infrastructure resiliency projects coordinated with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state emergency management authorities.

Major intersections and designations

Cedar Avenue carries multiple administrative designations: sections signed as Minnesota State Highway 77, county state-aid streets in Hennepin County, and county roads in Dakota County. Major junctions include Interstate 494, Interstate 35W, Minnesota State Highway 62, U.S. Route 169, Minnesota State Highway 13, and interchanges providing access to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and Mall of America. The corridor interfaces with Hennepin County Road 62, Dakota County Road 23, Cedar Avenue Bridge connections, and arterial grids linking to Nicollet Avenue, University Avenue, Washington Avenue and Central Avenue. Jurisdictional coordination involves Minnesota Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council, and county public works departments from Minneapolis, Bloomington, Richfield, Eagan, Apple Valley and Burnsville.

Transportation and transit

Cedar Avenue is a multimodal corridor served by Metro Transit bus routes, express services connecting to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, and feeder routes to the METRO Blue Line and METRO Orange Line. Park-and-ride facilities and bus rapid transit concepts have been evaluated by Metropolitan Council and Minnesota Department of Transportation. The corridor supports regional freight movements linked to Twin Cities and Western Railroad spurs and distribution centers near Bloomington. Bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure ties into regional trails such as Minnehaha Trail, Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail, and Gateway State Trail, with coordination among Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Dakota County Parks, and municipal parks departments. Transit planning has intersected with proposals from Congress funding mechanisms, federal Federal Transit Administration grants, and state bonding bills administered through the Minnesota Legislature.

Landmarks and notable places along the route

Cedar Avenue provides access to prominent sites: Mall of America, Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Hyland Lake Park Reserve, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota Zoo, Valleyfair-adjacent corridors, and regional centers like Southtown Centre. Cultural and institutional anchors include Richfield High School, Edina High School, Bloomington Jefferson High School, Minnesota River Bluffs Regional Park, Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Heritage Center of Bloomington, Metropolitan Stadium-era locations, and commercial nodes with connections to retailers like Target Corporation and Best Buy. Healthcare and research facilities accessed from Cedar Avenue include M Health Fairview, HealthPartners, and clinics affiliated with University of Minnesota systems. Recreational sites include links to Cedar Avenue Recreation Area, community centers in Eagan, and performing arts venues in Minneapolis and Bloomington Civic Plaza.

Future plans and improvements

Planned improvements have been advanced by Minnesota Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council, Hennepin County, and Dakota County focusing on capacity upgrades, safety enhancements, transit priority, and multimodal connectivity. Proposals include bus rapid transit extensions tied to METRO Orange Line corridors, intersection reconstructions funded by state bonding bills, and stormwater resilience projects coordinated with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Local comprehensive plans from Bloomington, Burnsville, Apple Valley, and Eagan envision mixed-use development nodes, Complete Streets implementations, and trail expansions in partnership with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Dakota County Parks. Federal grant opportunities through Federal Transit Administration and infrastructure packages passed by United States Congress may subsidize accelerated phases, while community engagement involves historical commissions, business associations such as local chambers of commerce, and neighborhood organizations in Minneapolis and the suburban cities.

Category:Roads in Minnesota