County Road 81 (Hennepin County, Minnesota)

County State-Aid Highway 81
West Broadway, Bottineau Boulevard
Route information
Maintained by Hennepin County Transportation Department
Length:	19.7 mi (31.7 km)
Existed:	1988 – present
Major junctions
South end:	CR 152 / CR 66 (Washington Ave N) in Minneapolis
	I-94 in Minneapolis MN 100 in Robbinsdale I-94 / I-694 in Brooklyn Park US 169 in Brooklyn Park MN 610 in Maple Grove
North end:	MN 101 in Rogers
Location
Counties:	Hennepin
Highway system
Minnesota Trunk Highways Interstate • U.S. • State Inter-County • County roads(Hennepin) • Legislative routes

County State-Aid Highway 81 or County Road 81 (CSAH 81, CR 81) is a county highway in Hennepin County, Minnesota, which runs from its junction with Interstate 94 (I-94), CR 66, and CR 152 (Washington Avenue North) in the city of Minneapolis, and continues northwest to its terminus at Main Street (State Highway 101, MN 101) in suburban Rogers. CSAH 81 is 23 miles (37 km) in length.

Route description

CSAH 81 begins at the intersection with Washington Avenue (CR 152/CR 66), in Minneapolis. It goes northwest into the city of Robbinsdale, intersecting with CR 9 (42nd Avenue), MN 100 and several other roads. It enters Crystal shortly after its interchange with MN 100, intersecting with CR 10 (Bass Lake Road) and several other roads. It enters Brooklyn Park, south of its intersection with 63rd Avenue. There, it passes its interchange with I-94; intersections with CR 8 (West Broadway), Brooklyn Boulevard, CR 109 (85th Avenue North) and several other roads; and a new interchange with US Highway 169 (US 169). In Osseo, it intersects with Jefferson Highway/Central Avenue. In Maple Grove it intersects with Zachary Lane North, CR 30 (93rd Avenue), CR 130 (Elm Creek Boulevard), MN 610, Fernbrook Lane and Maple Grove Parkway. In Dayton, it intersects with CR 101/CR 13. In Rogers it intersects with CR 150 and becomes MN 101 at I-94. Along its route, it intersects with I-94, four times, three being interchanges and one being an overpass. From Rogers to Robbinsdale the speed limit stays around 45–55 mph (72–89 km/h); in downtown Minneapolis it is 35 mph (56 km/h).

History

CSAH 81, between the Robbinsdale and Minneapolis border and present-day US 169 in Brooklyn Park, was constructed between the late 1940s and 1950s. Until I-94 and I-494 were built, CSAH 81 served as the principal route between Minneapolis and points northwest.

Formerly a trunk highway supervised by the state and known as US 52, US 169, MN 101, MN 152, and MN 218 in various segments at various times, the state turned over management of the roadway to Hennepin County in 1988 and it was renumbered to CSAH 81. From 1982 to 1988, a portion of the route was known as MN 81.

In 2004 the at-grade intersection with MN 100 was converted into an interchange along with other intersections on MN 100 during a reconstruction project. In 2008 a reconstruction project in Robbinsdale (Lowery Avenue to MN 100) was completed. Also, in Maple Grove, a reconstruction project near Fernbrook Lane and new roads, Elm Creek Boulevard and Maple Grove Parkway was completed, reconstructing the Fernbrook Lane intersection and adding new intersections at Elm Creek Boulevard and Maple Grove Parkway, when Elm Creek Boulevard was extended and Maple Grove Parkway was paved to its reconstructed interchange with I-94.

In 2011 the intersection with US 169 was converted into an interchange, along with the road's reconstruction from the former intersection with US 169 to CR 109 (85th Avenue), the extension of the nearby 83rd Avenue North and construction on local streets. Also in 2011, when MN 610 was extended, a half of a new interchange was built south of CR 130 (Elm Creek Boulevard) near the end of the new portion of MN 610. In Rogers, CSAH 81's terminus was moved from its former intersection with MN 101/CR 150 to MN 101's interchange with I-94. Also the intersection with MN 101 and CR 150 was replaced with a curved road, during a road construction project.

Future

See also: Bottineau Boulevard Transitway

Since 2000, local governments and business leaders in the CSAH 81 corridor (also known as the Northwest Corridor Partnership) have been working together on a strategic redevelopment plan supported by a transit line. Rapid bus transit was originally considered for this corridor in the early 2000s. Since 2007, light rail transit is now being studied as the more favorable option. The portion of CSAH 81 from Rogers to Robbinsdale will be signed as Bottineau Boulevard in the near future, named after historic frontiersman Pierre Bottineau. The portion of CSAH 81 in North Minneapolis will remain signed as West Broadway.

Reconstruction work

A 7.5-mile (12.1 km) segment of CSAH 81 reconstruction project began in 2010. This section is from 47th Avenue North in the city of Robbinsdale to CSAH 30 in the city of Maple Grove, resulting ultimately in a six-lane divided urban roadway. The project also passes through the cities of Crystal, Brooklyn Park, and Osseo. The goals of this project are to improve the safety and operations along the roadway, changes will be made to existing access. Major intersections will also be reconstructed. Construction will occur in segments. Construction of Segment One (47th Avenue North in Robbinsdale to CR 10/Bass Lake Road in Crystal) began in 2010, and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2012.^[1] Also the construction of Segment Two (CSAH 81/Bass Lake Road in Crystal to 63rd Avenue North in Brooklyn Park) is partially funded, and expected to begin in 2012.^[2] Segments 3 and 4 (63rd Avenue to US 169, US 169 to CR 30/93rd Avenue) are currently not funded.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Hennepin County.

Location	Mile	Destinations	Notes
Minneapolis	0.000	CR 152 / CR 66 east (Washington Avenue North)	Southern terminus in downtown Minneapolis
		I-94	Interchange
		CR 66 west (Girard Avenue North)
		CR 2 (Penn Avenue North)
		CR 153 / CR 8 (Lowry Avenue, Theodore Wirth Parkway)	Interchange
Robbinsdale		36th Avenue North
		CR 9 (42nd Avenue North)
		MN 100	Converted from at-grade to interchange in 2004
Crystal		CR 10 (Bass Lake Road)
Brooklyn Park		I-94 / I-694	Interchange
		CR 8 (West Broadway)
		CR 130 / CR 152 (Brooklyn Boulevard)
		US 169	Converted from at-grade to interchange in 2011
		CR 109 (85th Avenue North)
Osseo		Jefferson Highway, Central Avenue
Maple Grove		CR 202 (Zachary Lane North)
		CR 30 (93rd Avenue North)
		MN 610 / CR 130 (Elm Creek Boulevard)	Interchange with MN 610 was completed in 2011; intersection with County Road 130/Elm Creek Boulevard was completed in 2008
		CR 121 (Fernbrook Lane)
Dayton		CR 13 / CR 101 (Brockton Lane)	Formerly Old 101 uses CSAH 81
Rogers		CR 150 (Main Street)	Included in the former intersection with MN 101, south of intersection; former terminus
	19.7	I-94 / MN 101	Current Northern terminus in Rogers
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi      Concurrency terminus •      Closed/Former •      Incomplete access •      Unopened

References

1. ^ "County Rd. 81 reconstruction project EAW now available". Osseo–Maple Grove Press News. July 30, 2008. http://www.pressnews.com/articles/2008/08/05/osseo-maple_grove_press/news/4countyrd81eaw.txt. Retrieved August 30, 2011. 
2. ^ "Project Status". CSAH 81 Bottineau Boulevard Corridor. Hennepin County. http://www.bottineauboulevard.com/Information/Default.aspx. Retrieved August 30, 2011.