South Dakota Highway 34
Encyclopedia
South Dakota Highway 34 is a state route that runs across the entire state of South Dakota
, parallel to Interstate 90
. It begins at the Wyoming
border west of Belle Fourche
, as a continuation of Wyoming Highway 24
. The eastern terminus is at the Minnesota
border east of Egan
, or southwest of Airlie, Minnesota
, where it continues as Minnesota State Highway 30
. It is 420 miles (676 kilometers) in length.
near Gann Valley
. In the 1940s and early 1950s, a road was gradually built from Pierre
to SD 45 via Fort Thompson
, and SD 34 was extended west along it upon its completion. A further extension westward occurred in 1961, when SD 34 absorbed the alignment of South Dakota Highway 24
.
In the late 1960s, a portion of SD 34 (along with U.S. Highway 14) was upgraded as part of the construction of Interstate 90
. The segment between Whitewood
and Sturgis
(exits 23 and 30) remains signed with I-90 and U.S. 14.
A 10 miles (16.1 km) segment of SD 34 in Sanborn County
has been upgraded to 4 lanes. This is part of a 4-lane route from Huron
to Mitchell
via South Dakota Highway 37
.
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, parallel to Interstate 90
Interstate 90 in South Dakota
In the U.S. state of South Dakota, Interstate 90 traverses east–west through the southern half of the state.-Route description:Interstate 90 enters South Dakota in Lawrence County as a four lane divided highway. It enters concurrently with U.S. Route 14, and passes through the town of...
. It begins at the Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
border west of Belle Fourche
Belle Fourche, South Dakota
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 4,565 people, 1,854 households, and 1,186 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,446.9 people per square mile...
, as a continuation of Wyoming Highway 24
Wyoming Highway 24
Wyoming Highway 24 is a State highway in Wyoming. Spanning from US 14 to the Wyoming-South Dakota state line as SD 34, it passes by Devils Tower National Monument.- Route description :...
. The eastern terminus is at the 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...
border east of Egan
Egan, South Dakota
Egan is a city in Moody County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 278 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Egan is located at , along the Big Sioux River....
, or southwest of Airlie, Minnesota
Pipestone County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,895 people, 4,069 households, and 2,726 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 4,434 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, where it continues as Minnesota State Highway 30
Minnesota State Highway 30
Minnesota State Highway 30 is a highway in southwest and southeast Minnesota, which runs from South Dakota Highway 34 at the South Dakota state line near Airlie and Pipestone, and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with Minnesota Highway 43 in Rushford.Highway 30 is in...
. It is 420 miles (676 kilometers) in length.
History
When first implemented in 1926, the western terminus was at South Dakota Highway 45South Dakota Highway 45
South Dakota Highway 45 is a state route that runs north to south across much of central South Dakota. The northern terminus is at the North Dakota border as a continuation of North Dakota Highway 3, and runs south to South Dakota Highway 44 at Platte. It is 198 miles in length.-History:South...
near Gann Valley
Gann Valley, South Dakota
Gann Valley is an unincorporated community in and the county seat of Buffalo County, South Dakota, United States. The town had a population of 14 as of the 2010 census, and has been assigned the ZIP code of 57341. The center of population of South Dakota is located in Gann Valley. Gann Valley...
. In the 1940s and early 1950s, a road was gradually built from Pierre
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
to SD 45 via Fort Thompson
Fort Thompson, South Dakota
Fort Thompson is a census-designated place in Buffalo County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,282 at the 2010 census, making it the largest settlement on the Crow Creek Reservation.-Geography:...
, and SD 34 was extended west along it upon its completion. A further extension westward occurred in 1961, when SD 34 absorbed the alignment of South Dakota Highway 24
South Dakota Highway 24
South Dakota Highway 24 was a state route located in west central and northwest South Dakota.-History:When initially established in the mid 1920's, the western terminus of South Dakota 24 was at Whitewood, west of Sturgis. It traveled east along what is now South Dakota Highway 34 to near Marcus,...
.
In the late 1960s, a portion of SD 34 (along with U.S. Highway 14) was upgraded as part of the construction of Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
. The segment between Whitewood
Whitewood, South Dakota
Whitewood is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 927 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Whitewood is located at ....
and Sturgis
Sturgis, South Dakota
Sturgis is a city in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 6,627 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Meade County. Sturgis is famous for being the location of one of the largest annual motorcycle events in the world, which is held annually on the first full week...
(exits 23 and 30) remains signed with I-90 and U.S. 14.
A 10 miles (16.1 km) segment of SD 34 in Sanborn County
Sanborn County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,675 people, 1,043 households, and 732 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were 1,220 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
has been upgraded to 4 lanes. This is part of a 4-lane route from Huron
Huron, South Dakota
Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,592 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beadle County. Huron was the home of now-defunct Huron University since 1897. Huron is also the home of the South Dakota State Fair...
to Mitchell
Mitchell, South Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,558 people, 6,121 households, and 3,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,475.7 people per square mile . There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of 664.4 per square mile...
via South Dakota Highway 37
South Dakota Highway 37
South Dakota Highway 37 is a state route that runs across eastern South Dakota. It begins at the Nebraska border northeast of Niobrara, Nebraska, as a continuation of Nebraska Highway 14. It runs to the North Dakota border north of Hecla, where it continues as North Dakota Highway 1...
.