Minnesota State Highway 7
Encyclopedia
Minnesota State Highway 7 is a highway
in Minnesota
, which runs from its intersection
with State Highway 28
and Big Stone County Road 1 near Beardsley
and continues east to its eastern terminus at its interchange
with State Highway 100
and Hennepin County Road 25 in St. Louis Park
.
For part of its route (24 miles), it runs concurrent
with U.S. Highway 59
between Montevideo
and Appleton
.
Highway 7 is 194 miles (312.2 km) in length.
near Beardsley
and Browns Valley
in west-central Minnesota to State Highway 100
in suburban St. Louis Park
.
The highway is a key east–west artery through several cities in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities area including Hopkins
, Minnetonka
, and smaller Excelsior
. The highway is a 45 to 50 mi/h divided highway
with two lanes in both direction throughout the metro area. Upon leaving Excelsior
it becomes undivided with one lane running in either direction, periodic passing lanes, several roundabouts, and a 55 mi/h speed limit. Further west, the speed limit is a higher 60 mi/h.
in 1933. The section of Highway 7 between Ortonville and Beardsley
, previously Highway 103, was designated and signed in 1958.
The route was completely paved by 1961.
The divided highway
section between St. Louis Park
and Excelsior
was constructed by 1942.
Highway 7 used to extend into downtown Minneapolis until 1965, where it terminated at its intersection
with Washington Avenue
(old U.S. Highway 52
).
From 1965 to 1988, the eastern terminus of Highway 7 was at the intersection of Lake Street
and France Avenue in Minneapolis. The part, about one mile long, between the interchange with Highway 100 (now the eastern terminus of Highway 7) and the intersection of Lake Street and France Avenue is now called County Highway 25.
The route used to be nicknamed "Suicide Seven" due to the number of traffic deaths each year.
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, which runs from its intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
with State Highway 28
Minnesota State Highway 28
Minnesota State Highway 28 is a highway in west-central and central Minnesota, which runs from South Dakota Highway 10 at the South Dakota state line near Browns Valley and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with the former route of U.S...
and Big Stone County Road 1 near Beardsley
Beardsley, Minnesota
Beardsley is a city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 233 at the 2010 census.Beardsley holds two state monthly record high temperatures, 111°F in September, set in 1931, and 98°F Beardsley is a city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. The population was...
and continues east to its eastern terminus at its interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
with State Highway 100
Minnesota State Highway 100
Minnesota State Highway 100 is a state highway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate 494 in Bloomington and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with I-694 in Brooklyn Center...
and Hennepin County Road 25 in St. Louis Park
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
.
For part of its route (24 miles), it runs concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with U.S. Highway 59
U.S. Route 59
U.S. Route 59 is a north–south United States highway . A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, U.S. 59 is now a border-to-border route, Part of NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It parallels U.S. Route 75 for nearly its entire route, never much more than away, until it veers southwest...
between Montevideo
Montevideo, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,346 people, 2,353 households, and 1,444 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,190.5 people per square mile . There were 2,551 housing units at an average density of 568.1 per square mile...
and Appleton
Appleton, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,871 people, 729 households, and 376 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,442.2 people per square mile . There were 860 housing units at an average density of 432.0 per square mile...
.
Highway 7 is 194 miles (312.2 km) in length.
Route description
State Highway 7 runs from State Highway 28Minnesota State Highway 28
Minnesota State Highway 28 is a highway in west-central and central Minnesota, which runs from South Dakota Highway 10 at the South Dakota state line near Browns Valley and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with the former route of U.S...
near Beardsley
Beardsley, Minnesota
Beardsley is a city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 233 at the 2010 census.Beardsley holds two state monthly record high temperatures, 111°F in September, set in 1931, and 98°F Beardsley is a city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. The population was...
and Browns Valley
Browns Valley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 690 people, 285 households, and 171 families residing in the city. The population density was 878.5 people per square mile . There were 317 housing units at an average density of 403.6 per square mile...
in west-central Minnesota to State Highway 100
Minnesota State Highway 100
Minnesota State Highway 100 is a state highway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate 494 in Bloomington and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with I-694 in Brooklyn Center...
in suburban St. Louis Park
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
.
The highway is a key east–west artery through several cities in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities area including Hopkins
Hopkins, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,145 people, 8,224 households, and 3,741 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,205.9 people per square mile . There were 8,390 housing units at an average density of 2,058.2 pe square mile...
, Minnetonka
Minnetonka, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,301 people, 21,393 households, and 14,097 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,893.0 persons per square mile . There were 22,228 housing units at an average density of 818.9 per square mile...
, and smaller Excelsior
Excelsior, Minnesota
Excelsior is a settlement on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,188 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. The highway is a 45 to 50 mi/h divided highway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
with two lanes in both direction throughout the metro area. Upon leaving Excelsior
Excelsior, Minnesota
Excelsior is a settlement on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,188 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
it becomes undivided with one lane running in either direction, periodic passing lanes, several roundabouts, and a 55 mi/h speed limit. Further west, the speed limit is a higher 60 mi/h.
History
State Highway 7 was authorized between the Twin Cities and OrtonvilleOrtonville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,158 people, 923 households, and 594 families residing in the city. The population density was 635.8 people per square mile . There were 1,125 housing units at an average density of 331.4 per square mile...
in 1933. The section of Highway 7 between Ortonville and Beardsley
Beardsley, Minnesota
Beardsley is a city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 233 at the 2010 census.Beardsley holds two state monthly record high temperatures, 111°F in September, set in 1931, and 98°F Beardsley is a city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. The population was...
, previously Highway 103, was designated and signed in 1958.
The route was completely paved by 1961.
The divided highway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
section between St. Louis Park
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
and Excelsior
Excelsior, Minnesota
Excelsior is a settlement on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,188 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
was constructed by 1942.
Highway 7 used to extend into downtown Minneapolis until 1965, where it terminated at its intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
with Washington Avenue
Washington Avenue (Minneapolis)
Washington Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Starting north of Lowry Avenue, the street runs straight south, with Interstate 94 running alongside it until just south of West Broadway, when the freeway turns to the west...
(old U.S. Highway 52
U.S. Route 52 in Minnesota
U.S. Highway 52 enters the state of Minnesota at the unincorporated community of Prosper, north of the town of Burr Oak, Iowa. The route is marked north–south in Minnesota along its independent segment from the Iowa state line to downtown St. Paul...
).
From 1965 to 1988, the eastern terminus of Highway 7 was at the intersection of Lake Street
Lake Street (Minneapolis)
Lake Street is a major east-west thoroughfare in Minneapolis, Minnesota which is located between 29th and 31st Streets in south Minneapolis. It was named such because it runs through the Chain of Lakes area on the west side of town and passes over a small channel linking Lake Calhoun and Lake of...
and France Avenue in Minneapolis. The part, about one mile long, between the interchange with Highway 100 (now the eastern terminus of Highway 7) and the intersection of Lake Street and France Avenue is now called County Highway 25.
The route used to be nicknamed "Suicide Seven" due to the number of traffic deaths each year.
Major intersections
External links
- Adam Froehlig (December 12, 2002). Minnesota Highway 7. Minnesota State Highway Endings. Accessed September 6, 2004.