Minnesota State Highway 55 (MN 55) is a
highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
in west-central, central, and east-central
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, which runs from the North Dakota state line near
Tenney and continues east and southeast to its eastern terminus at its intersection with
U.S. Highway 61
U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is designated ...
in
Hastings
Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
.
This route, signed east–west, runs roughly diagonally across the central part of Minnesota.
Highway 55 is in length.
Route description
Highway 55 serves as a northwest–southeast route between Elbow Lake, Glenwood,
Paynesville,
Annandale,
Buffalo,
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
,
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Mendota Heights
Mendota Heights is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is a first ring southern suburb of the Twin Cities. The population was 11,744 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census.
Geography
According to ...
, and
Hastings
Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
.
Highway 55 begins at the Bois de Sioux River, at the Minnesota — North Dakota state line near
Tenney.
North Dakota Highway 11
North Dakota Highway 11 (ND 11) is a east–west State highway (US), state highway in the U.S. state of North Dakota. ND 11's western terminus is at U.S. Route 83 in North Dakota, U.S. Route 83 (US 83) west of Hague, North Dakota, Hague, and the ...
is its counterpoint upon crossing the state line. Highway 55 continues east to Tenney,
Nashua Nashua may refer to:
* Nashaway people, Native American tribe living in 17th-century New England
Places
In Australia:
* Nashua, New South Wales
In the United States:
* Nashua, California
* Nashua, Iowa
* Nashua, Minnesota
* Nashua, Kansas City ...
, and
Wendell. The route has a junction with
U.S. Highway 59
U.S. Route 59 (US 59) is a north–south United States highway (though it was signed east–west in parts of Texas). A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, US 59 is now a border-to-border route, part of the NAFTA superhighway, NAFTA ...
before entering the city of Elbow Lake. Highways 55 and 59 run
concurrently for 11 miles until reaching
Barrett.
Highway 55 then continues independently again to
Hoffman
Hoffman is a surname of German and Jewish origin. The original meaning in medieval times was "steward", i.e. one who manages the property of another. In English and other European languages, including Yiddish and Dutch, the name can also be spelle ...
,
Kensington
Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London.
The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...
,
Farwell, and
Lowry before reaching the city of Glenwood. At Glenwood, Highway 55 has an
intersection
In mathematics, the intersection of two or more objects is another object consisting of everything that is contained in all of the objects simultaneously. For example, in Euclidean geometry, when two lines in a plane are not parallel, their i ...
with
State Highway 29 and an interchange with
State Highway 28.
The route continues southeast to
Sedan and
Brooten before reaching its junction with
U.S. Highway 71
U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...
in
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
. Highway 55 passes through
Regal before reaching its junction with State Highways
4 and
23 at the city of
Paynesville.
Highway 55 continues east to
Eden Valley and
Watkins before reaching its junction with
State Highway 15 at
Kimball.
The route has a junction with
State Highway 24 in Annandale. Highway 55 continues to
Maple Lake and then Buffalo, where it has a junction with
State Highway 25.
Highway 55 enters the
Twin Cities
Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in statu ...
area at
Rockford and
Greenfield, continuing east to
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
and
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
. Highway 55 has a junction with
I-494
Interstate 494 (I-494) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway making up part of a beltway of I-94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The road is coupled with I- ...
in Plymouth. Highway 55 continues east and has a junction with
U.S. Highway 169 at the
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
/ Golden Valley boundary line. Highway 55 continues through Golden Valley to its junction with
State Highway 100. The route then continues east and enters the city of
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
.
The highway has been designated ''Olson Memorial Highway'',
[Minnesota Statutes section 161.14 subd. 3 - https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=161.14] named for
Floyd B. Olson
Floyd Bjørnstjerne "Skipper" Olson (November 13, 1891 – August 22, 1936) was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 22nd Governor of Minnesota from January 6, 1931, to August 22, 1936, dying in office of stomach cancer. Olson wa ...
, a popular Minnesota governor of Norwegian ancestry. Olson grew up in North Minneapolis, near where the highway runs. While the entire route is designated as the Olson Memorial Highway, it is only consistently signed as such between Interstate 494 and N 7th Street in Minneapolis. The part of Highway 55 southeast of downtown is known as ''Hiawatha Avenue''.
Light rail trains on the
Blue Line, and
Little Earth Trail
Little Earth Trail is an approximately , multi-use bicycle path in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, that links several neighborhoods, parks, businesses, and trails in the Phillips community. The trail begins at its northern end near the i ...
and
Hiawatha LRT Trail
Hiawatha LRT Trail is a , multi-use path adjacent to a light-rail transit line in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, that is popular with bicycle commuters. Users travel along the Metro Blue Line and Hiawatha Avenue transit corridor, reac ...
for bicyclists/pedestrians, run parallel to the highway for much of the ''Hiawatha Avenue'' stretch.
In July 2005, the section of Highway 55 that runs through downtown
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
was turned back to local maintenance. To fill the gap, Highway 55 was rerouted along
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 (I-94) is an east–west Interstate Highway connecting the Great Lakes and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. Its western terminus is just east of Billings, Montana, at a junction with I-90; its eastern ter ...
Westbound/
US Highway 52 Northbound. MN 55 now exits just before downtown at the westbound I-94/Northbound US 52 exit, and leaves the concurrency at the exit for the ''Olson Highway'', marked with the Highway 55 shield. Eastbound, 55 leaves the ''Olson Highway'' at the interchange for I-94 eastbound/US 52 southbound, and leaves the freeway at the exit for ''Hiawatha Avenue'', which is also marked with the Highway 55 shield.
There has been some controversy with expansion of the highway. An area known as
Camp Coldwater, considered by some as the "birthplace of Minnesota," was dug up during some construction. Highway 55 joins with
State Highway 62 at this point.
Fort Snelling State Park
Fort Snelling State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of Minnesota, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. For many centuries, the area of the modern park has been of importance to the Mdewakanton Dakota people who consi ...
is located near the junction of Highway 55 and
State Highway 5. The park entrance is located on Highway 5 at Post Road.
Highway 55 crosses the
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River ( dak, Mnísota Wakpá) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa.
It ris ...
via the Mendota Bridge, which was the longest continuous bridge made of poured
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...
when it was completed in 1926. It is in length.
The route enters
Mendota Heights
Mendota Heights is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is a first ring southern suburb of the Twin Cities. The population was 11,744 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census.
Geography
According to ...
, diverges from Highway 62, and then has a junction with
State Highway 13.
Highway 55 continues southeast through
Eagan Eagan may refer to:
People
* Daisy Eagan (born 1979), American actress
* Dennis Eagan (1926–2012), British field hockey player
* Eddie Eagan (1897–1967), American sportsman
* James Eagan (1926-2000), American politician from Missouri
* John J. ...
, joining briefly with
State Highway 149. The route then has a junction with
State Highway 3 in
Inver Grove Heights
Inver Grove Heights is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 35,801 at the 2020 census. The city was formed on March 9, 1965, with the merger of the village of Inver Grove and Inver Grove Township.
It is one of 1 ...
. Highway 55 then runs concurrent with
U.S. Highway 52 through Inver Grove Heights and into
Rosemount. At Rosemount, Highway 55 leaves
U.S. 52. Highway 55 continues independently again to its eastern terminus at its intersection with
U.S. Highway 61
U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is designated ...
in the city of
Hastings
Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
.
History
Highway 55 was authorized in 1933.
The original alignment for Highway 55 in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
was along old
U.S. Highway 52 (now
Hennepin CSAH 81) to Rockford Road, then Rockford Road to MN 55's present-day alignment (now
Hennepin CSAH 9). The present-day alignment was constructed in the early 1950s.
Major intersections
References
{{reflist
055
Streets in Minneapolis
Transportation in Wilkin County, Minnesota
Transportation in Grant County, Minnesota
Transportation in Pope County, Minnesota
Transportation in Stearns County, Minnesota
Transportation in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota
Transportation in Meeker County, Minnesota
Transportation in Wright County, Minnesota
Transportation in Hennepin County, Minnesota
Transportation in Dakota County, Minnesota
U.S. Route 52