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