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| Minnesota State Highway 55 (Hiawatha Avenue) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Minnesota State Highway 55 (Hiawatha Avenue) |
| Route | 55 |
| Alternate name | Hiawatha Avenue |
| Length mi | ~? |
| Direction | A=West |
| Direction | B=East |
| Terminus A | Minneapolis? |
Minnesota State Highway 55 (Hiawatha Avenue) is a state highway corridor in the Twin Cities region centered on Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving as a major arterial linking central Minneapolis–Saint Paul destinations, intermodal facilities, and suburban communities. The route functions as an urban boulevard, freight corridor, and transit spine adjacent to notable civic, cultural, and industrial sites in Hennepin County and connects with regional highways, light rail, and municipal streets.
The corridor begins near central Minneapolis and proceeds through neighborhoods including Whittier, Linden Hills, and the Minnehaha area, paralleling the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport approach corridors and skirting the Twin Cities river and parkway systems. Along its alignment the avenue intersects major arterials such as Interstate 35W, Interstate 94, U.S. Highway 169, and state routes while providing access to MSP, the warehouse district, and industrial areas near the Mississippi River. The corridor runs adjacent to transit infrastructure including the Blue Line light rail transit, with stations sited near Minnehaha Falls, Lake Street–Marshall, and the Airport Station. Truck routes and freight movements use the avenue to reach intermodal yards and distribution centers linked to BNSF Railway, Union Pacific Railroad, and regional ports along the Mississippi River.
Hiawatha Avenue traces its name to the epic poem "Hiawatha" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and was developed during early 20th‑century streetcar and automobile expansion in Minneapolis. The corridor grew as part of industrial and residential development tied to the expansion of Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway networks, connecting to riverfront commerce on the Mississippi River. Mid‑century highway planning integrated the avenue into Minnesota’s numbered highway network as part of broader improvements led by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and influenced by federal programs such as the Interstate Highway System. Urban renewal projects and the construction of light rail in the early 21st century, including the Hiawatha Line project that produced today’s Blue Line, reshaped right‑of‑way use, parking, and streetscape adjacent to cultural institutions like the Walker Art Center, Guthrie Theater, and civic parks.
Notable intersections and interchanges along the avenue include connections with I‑35W, I‑94, US‑169, MN‑62, and municipal arterials such as Lake Street and Franklin Avenue. The route provides direct access to multimodal nodes including the Amtrak station, airport light rail station, and freight facilities serving BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, and local distribution centers.
The corridor is a multimodal spine served by the Metro Transit network, with light rail stations positioned along the avenue and bus routes including local and express services that connect to Downtown Minneapolis, MSP Airport, and suburban transit hubs. The avenue facilitates regional connections to Metropolitan Council planning initiatives, park‑and‑ride facilities, and bicycle infrastructure linked to the Minneapolis bike network and regional trails such as the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. Freight and passenger rail interfaces occur near facilities operated by BNSF Railway, Union Pacific Railroad, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City.
Prominent landmarks adjacent to the avenue include Minnehaha Falls Regional Park, industrial heritage sites along the Mississippi River, cultural institutions such as the Guthrie Theater, Walker Art Center, and performance venues in the North Loop and Warehouse District. Healthcare and civic facilities near the corridor include Hennepin County Medical Center and municipal services in Hennepin County. Commercial corridors on Lake Street and surrounding neighborhoods host diverse businesses, while parks and trails link to regional greenways, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, and recreational assets like Minnehaha Regional Park.
Planned improvements focus on multimodal safety, streetscape enhancements, and coordination with Metro Transit and Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport development. Projects under consideration by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council, and City of Minneapolis include pavement rehabilitation, transit priority measures, bicycle and pedestrian upgrades tied to the Minneapolis bicycle master plan, and freight movement optimizations to support logistics clusters serving BNSF Railway and regional ports on the Mississippi River. Long‑range planning integrates climate resilience initiatives and land use strategies advanced by regional bodies such as the Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County.
Category:Roads in Minnesota