MINNESOTA: Interstate 35E MnPASS Managed Lanes Extension
The I-35E MnPASS Extension Study was a pre-implementation planning study aimed at developing and evaluating conceptual alternatives for extending MnPASS Express Lanes between Little Canada Road and CR 96 on I-35E. The study was completed in the third quarter of 2015. The study resulted in the I-35E MnPASS Extension project moving forward into the pre-design and environmental assessment (EA) process. The EA was approved in December 2015, and construction of the project was completed at the end of 2016. Funding from the VPPP was instrumental in the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s decision to evaluate and build this HOT lane extension. The MnPASS lanes through the I-35E/I-694 commons area feature two of the innovative recommendations to come out of the study:
- Southbound – The existing inside general purpose lane has been converted to a MnPASS lane during the morning peak period.
- Northbound – There is no MnPASS lane designation through this area, creating a gap in the northbound MnPASS lane in the corridor.
This innovative approach will be evaluated in more detail by the end of 2018. The Land Use and Transit Enhancement component of the study also developed recommendations for increasing transit and carpool use in the I-35E corridor, such as informal park-and-ride sites called “Gather and Go’s.” Many of these ideas and recommendations will be further evaluated and potentially implemented by local governments, transit providers, and others as community and transit planning and development move forward in the corridor.
Project Status
Open to Traffic
April – June 2018 Update
Operational and performance data on the I-35E MnPASS corridor for the first quarter of calendar year 2018:
Total Tolled Trips for the quarter: 117,828 or an average of about 9,819 toll trips per week
Total Gross Revenue for the quarter: $146,238 or about $12,186 per week
Toll per trip (avg.): $1.24
For More Information Contact
Kenneth R. Buckeye
Program Manager Value Pricing
Phone: (651) 366-3737
E-mail: kenneth.buckeye@dot.state.mn.us
