U.S. Route 12 in Minnesota
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 12
is a highway
in west-central and east-central Minnesota
, which runs from the South Dakota state line at Ortonville
near Big Stone Lake
and continues east to the St. Croix River
at the Wisconsin state line. U.S. 12 in Minnesota is 192 miles (309 km) in length. The route connects the cities of Ortonville
, Benson
, Willmar
, Litchfield
, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul
.
, to Orono
in the Twin Cities area, U.S. 12 is mostly a rural two-lane highway with a 55 MPH posted speed limit, with slower speed limits through towns and a four-lane surface arterial segment through the city of Willmar
.
From Orono
to Wayzata
, U.S. 12 is a two-lane freeway/super-2
bypass around Long Lake
.
From western Wayzata to Interstate 394
in Minnetonka
, U.S. 12 is a six-lane freeway. East of Interstate 494
, U.S. 12 is invisibly concurrent
with Interstates 394
and 94
through Minneapolis and Saint Paul
to the Minnesota / Wisconsin state line at Hudson
.
U.S. 12 is invisibly concurrent with Interstate 94
in Ramsey and Washington counties.
Legally, the Minnesota section of U.S. 12 is defined as unmarked Constitutional / Legislative Routes 149, 26, and 10 in Minnesota Statutes §§ 161.115(80) and 161.114(2). U.S. 12 is not marked with these legislative numbers along the actual highway.
In 1929, the only sections paved were between Litchfield
and Willmar
; and between Wayzata
through the Twin Cities to Wisconsin
.
The entire route was paved by 1940.
From 2006 to 2008, the Highway 12 two-lane freeway bypass was constructed through Orono
and Long Lake
. The new bypass ties into the existing Highway 12 freeway at the western edge of Wayzata
.
|colspan=2 align='center'|South Dakota-Minnesota state line
|0.000
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|colspan=5 align='center'|Unmarked concurrency with I-94 to Wisconsin state line
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U.S. Route 12
U.S. Route 12 or US 12 is an east–west United States highway, running from Grays Harbor on the Pacific Ocean, in the state of Washington, to downtown Detroit, for almost . As a thoroughfare, it has mostly been supplanted by I-90 and I-94, but remains an important road for local travel.The...
is a highway
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 west-central and east-central 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 the South Dakota state line at Ortonville
Ortonville, 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...
near Big Stone Lake
Big Stone Lake
Big Stone Lake is a long, narrow freshwater lake and reservoir forming the border between western Minnesota and northeastern South Dakota in the USA. The lake covers 12,610 acres of surface area, stretching 26 miles from end to end and averaging around 1 mile wide, and at an elevation of 965...
and continues east to the St. Croix River
St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota)
The St. Croix River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The lower of the river form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The river is a National Scenic Riverway under the protection of the National Park Service. A...
at the Wisconsin state line. U.S. 12 in Minnesota is 192 miles (309 km) in length. The route connects the cities of Ortonville
Ortonville, 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...
, Benson
Benson, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,376 people, 1,451 households, and 880 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,360.5 people per square mile . There were 1,566 housing units at an average density of 631.1 per square mile...
, Willmar
Willmar, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,549.9 people per square mile . There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 657.8 per square mile...
, Litchfield
Litchfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,562 people, 2,624 households, and 1,653 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,748.4 people per square mile . There were 2,741 housing units at an average density of 730.3 per square mile...
, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
.
Route description
From the South Dakota / Minnesota state line at 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...
, to Orono
Orono, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,538 people, 2,766 households, and 2,196 families residing in the city. The population density was 468.9 people per square mile . There were 2,909 housing units at an average density of 181.0 per square mile...
in the Twin Cities area, U.S. 12 is mostly a rural two-lane highway with a 55 MPH posted speed limit, with slower speed limits through towns and a four-lane surface arterial segment through the city of Willmar
Willmar, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,549.9 people per square mile . There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 657.8 per square mile...
.
From Orono
Orono, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,538 people, 2,766 households, and 2,196 families residing in the city. The population density was 468.9 people per square mile . There were 2,909 housing units at an average density of 181.0 per square mile...
to Wayzata
Wayzata, Minnesota
Wayzata is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, a western suburb of Minneapolis. Wayzata came into existence in the center of Chief Shakopee's Indian village.-Early settlement:...
, U.S. 12 is a two-lane freeway/super-2
Super two
A super two, super two-lane highway or wide two lane is a two-lane surface road built to high standards, typically including partial control of access, occasional passing lanes and hard shoulders...
bypass around Long Lake
Long Lake, Minnesota
Long Lake is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,768 at the 2010 census.- History :The first settlers arrived in Long Lake in early spring, 1855...
.
From western Wayzata to Interstate 394
Interstate 394
Interstate 394 is an east–west Interstate Highway spur route in Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It runs for 9.8 miles from its eastern terminus in downtown Minneapolis to its western terminus at its junction with Interstate 494 in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka...
in 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...
, U.S. 12 is a six-lane freeway. East of Interstate 494
Interstate 494
Interstate 494 is a loop route making up part of a beltway of Interstate 94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota...
, U.S. 12 is invisibly 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 Interstates 394
Interstate 394
Interstate 394 is an east–west Interstate Highway spur route in Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It runs for 9.8 miles from its eastern terminus in downtown Minneapolis to its western terminus at its junction with Interstate 494 in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka...
and 94
Interstate 94 in Minnesota
In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 94 runs east–west through the central portion of the state. The route connects the cities of Moorhead, Fergus Falls, Alexandria, St...
through Minneapolis and Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
to the Minnesota / Wisconsin state line at Hudson
Hudson, Wisconsin
Hudson is a city in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 18,937, making it the principal and largest city of the Minneapolis - St. Paul metropolitan area . The Hudson area however had a population of 39,713...
.
U.S. 12 is invisibly concurrent with Interstate 94
Interstate 94 in Minnesota
In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 94 runs east–west through the central portion of the state. The route connects the cities of Moorhead, Fergus Falls, Alexandria, St...
in Ramsey and Washington counties.
Legally, the Minnesota section of U.S. 12 is defined as unmarked Constitutional / Legislative Routes 149, 26, and 10 in Minnesota Statutes §§ 161.115(80) and 161.114(2). U.S. 12 is not marked with these legislative numbers along the actual highway.
History
U.S. Highway 12 was established on November 11, 1926.In 1929, the only sections paved were between Litchfield
Litchfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,562 people, 2,624 households, and 1,653 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,748.4 people per square mile . There were 2,741 housing units at an average density of 730.3 per square mile...
and Willmar
Willmar, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,549.9 people per square mile . There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 657.8 per square mile...
; and between Wayzata
Wayzata, Minnesota
Wayzata is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, a western suburb of Minneapolis. Wayzata came into existence in the center of Chief Shakopee's Indian village.-Early settlement:...
through the Twin Cities to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
The entire route was paved by 1940.
From 2006 to 2008, the Highway 12 two-lane freeway bypass was constructed through Orono
Orono, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,538 people, 2,766 households, and 2,196 families residing in the city. The population density was 468.9 people per square mile . There were 2,909 housing units at an average density of 181.0 per square mile...
and Long Lake
Long Lake, Minnesota
Long Lake is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,768 at the 2010 census.- History :The first settlers arrived in Long Lake in early spring, 1855...
. The new bypass ties into the existing Highway 12 freeway at the western edge of Wayzata
Wayzata, Minnesota
Wayzata is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, a western suburb of Minneapolis. Wayzata came into existence in the center of Chief Shakopee's Indian village.-Early settlement:...
.
Major intersections
|-|colspan=2 align='center'|South Dakota-Minnesota state line
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|colspan=5 align='center'|Unmarked concurrency with I-94 to Wisconsin state line
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