| A system of "skyways" (small, fully | | | | the northern edge of the Highway 62 |
| enclosed pedestrian bridges) link the | | | | right-of-way during that 3-mile |
| buildings across more than 60 city | | | | stretch). |
| blocks of the downtown region, providing | | | | Minnesota State Highway 65 (Minneapolis |
| a way to travel around the city without | | | | to Littlefork) follows Central Avenue |
| being exposed to the wide temperature | | | | through Northeast Minneapolis, and until |
| extremes of the climate. The system is | | | | June 2005, it also followed Washington, |
| widely used by the daytime worker | | | | 4th, and 5th Avenues though downtown |
| population and downtown residents, who | | | | Minneapolis. A freeway stub running from |
| are able to move around without their | | | | I-35W to 10th Avenue is still considered |
| coats and other outdoor gear all day | | | | part of Highway 65, creating a gap in |
| long. The street-level foot traffic is | | | | the official routing. |
| greatly reduced (especially as the | | | | Minnesota State Highway 77 (Apple Valley |
| outdoor temperature dips) and many | | | | to Minneapolis) ends as it enters the |
| businesses that would normally be | | | | city from the south as Cedar Avenue. |
| located at ground level in other cities | | | | Minnesota State Highway 121 (Richfield |
| are instead brought up to the second | | | | to Minneapolis) is a spur that connects |
| floor. In fact, the interconnected | | | | Interstate 35W with Lyndale Avenue in |
| passageways that include restaurants and | | | | South Minneapolis. |
| retailers are sometimes considered as | | | | The city is served by air with the |
| one of the largest shopping centers in | | | | Minneapolis-Saint Paul International |
| the Twin Cities (though most businesses | | | | Airport, which is at the southeast |
| in the skyways close down at night and | | | | corner of the city off of Minnesota |
| on the weekend). | | | | State Highway 5. The airport is also |
| Historically, Minneapolis and St. Paul | | | | bordered by Saint Paul, Bloomington, and |
| provided some of the earliest rail | | | | Richfield. It is a hub and home base for |
| passages across the Mississippi River, | | | | Northwest Airlines as well as for Mesaba |
| which widens downriver where the St. | | | | Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and |
| Croix River joins the Mississippi. | | | | Champion Airlines. |
| Today, rail traffic through the city is | | | | Metro Transit runs most of the area's |
| diminished, and some of the old bridges | | | | buses and has begun operation of a light |
| such as the Stone Arch Bridge have been | | | | rail system, the Hiawatha Line, which |
| converted for bicycle and pedestrian | | | | has a daily ridership of 28,800, making |
| use. These link into the extensive park | | | | it the 14th busiest light rail system in |
| and trail system of the city. | | | | the country. The line opened its first |
| Most residents of Minneapolis get around | | | | and second phases to the public in 2004, |
| the region by car, and a number of | | | | connecting the airport and Bloomington's |
| highways snake through the city. | | | | Mall of America into downtown. A number |
| Minneapolis and St. Paul are the | | | | of other rail projects including new |
| junction points between Interstate 94 | | | | commuter rail lines linking the city to |
| and Interstate 35. I-35 splits into two | | | | the suburbs are in the planning stages, |
| parts when entering the metro area. The | | | | and the city council has officially |
| western half, I-35W, goes through | | | | begun "explor[ing] the feasibility of |
| downtown Minneapolis. The I-394 spur | | | | bringing back a streetcar system." [5] |
| connects the downtown region to western | | | | Some bus rapid transit lines are also |
| suburbs. Two spurs from I-94, I-494 and | | | | likely to be built in the coming years. |
| I-694, make a loop around the metro | | | | Proposed commuter and light rail lines |
| area, but do not pass through the cities | | | | head in several directions from |
| of Minneapolis or St. Paul. | | | | Minneapolis and St. Paul. |
| Only two U.S. highways pass through the | | | | Hiawatha_Line, Minneapolis to the Mall |
| city, but they are unmarked. Interstate | | | | of America |
| 394 is largely an upgraded segment of | | | | Northstar Corridor Commuter Line, |
| U.S. Highway 12 which comes into the | | | | Minneapolis north to Big Lake, MN. |
| city from the western and then joins | | | | Central Corridor, Downtown Minneapolis |
| I-94 to follow that road around downtown | | | | to St. Paul |
| and into St. Paul. U.S. Highway 52 | | | | SouthWest Transitway, Minneapolis to St |
| follows Interstate 94 north of the metro | | | | Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and |
| area, so it is considered to follow that | | | | Eden Prairie |
| all of the way through the city today, | | | | Red Rock Corridor, Commuter Rail from |
| though it had originally been routed | | | | Minneapolis southeast to Hastings, |
| along surface streets and along | | | | through St Paul. |
| University Avenue between Minneapolis | | | | Over the last twenty years, the system |
| and St. Paul. | | | | of bicycle trails has expanded from a |
| Minnesota state highways include: | | | | long-standing system of recreational |
| Minnesota State Highway 47 (Minneapolis | | | | trails, the Grand Rounds, to include a |
| to Aitkin) enters the city from the | | | | network of on-street bike lanes and an |
| North as University Avenue | | | | increasing number of commuter trails. |
| Minnesota State Highway 55 (Tenney to | | | | Trails include: |
| Hastings) passes through outer | | | | The Midtown Greenway |
| Minneapolis as Olson Memorial Highway | | | | The Kenilworth Trail |
| and Hiawatha Avenue (though, since June | | | | The Cedar Lake Trail |
| 2005, it now follows I-94 around | | | | The West River Parkway along the |
| downtown). | | | | Mississippi. |
| Minnesota State Highway 62 (Eden Prairie | | | | Minneapolis is one of the most |
| to Fort Snelling - known as the | | | | heavily-biked cities in the country, |
| "Crosstown") runs along the southeastern | | | | with an average level of 10,000 people |
| edge of the city as the Crosstown | | | | riding daily for commuting and |
| Highway (west of Chicago Ave and east of | | | | recreation (there are significant |
| Xerxes Ave, the highway is considered as | | | | seasonal variations, but many people |
| part of Richfield), however, the | | | | bike year-round). |
| Richfield-Minneapolis line lies right at | | | | |