County State-Aid Highway 81 or County Road 81 (CSAH 81, CR 81) is a county highway

County highway

A county highway is a road in the United States and in the Canadian province of Ontario that is designated and/or maintained by the county highway department...

 in Hennepin County, Minnesota

Hennepin County, Minnesota

Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...

, which runs from its junction 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...

 (I-94), CR 66, and CR 152 (Washington Avenue North

Washington Avenue (Minneapolis)

Washington Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Starting north of Lowry Avenue, the street runs straight south, with Interstate 94 running alongside it until just south of West Broadway, when the freeway turns to the west...

) in the city of Minneapolis, and continues northwest to its terminus at Main Street (State Highway 101

Minnesota State Highway 101

Minnesota State Highway 101 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The present day route currently has two separate segments. The roadway was a continuous route until 1988.-Route description:...

, MN 101) in suburban Rogers

Rogers, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,588 people, 1,195 households, and 982 families residing in the city. The population density was 715.1 people per square mile . There were 1,245 housing units at an average density of 248.1 per square mile...

. CSAH 81 is 23 miles (37 km) in length.

Route description

CSAH 81 begins at the intersection with Washington Avenue

Washington Avenue (Minneapolis)

Washington Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Starting north of Lowry Avenue, the street runs straight south, with Interstate 94 running alongside it until just south of West Broadway, when the freeway turns to the west...

 (CR 152/CR 66), in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

. It goes northwest into the city of Robbinsdale

Robbinsdale, Minnesota

Robbinsdale is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,953 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....

, intersecting with CR 9 (42nd Avenue), MN 100

Minnesota State Highway 100

Minnesota State Highway 100 is a state highway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate 494 in Bloomington and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with I-694 in Brooklyn Center...

 and several other roads. It enters Crystal

Crystal, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,698 people, 9,389 households, and 6,102 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,929.3 people per square mile . There were 9,481 housing units at an average density of 1,641.3 per square mile...

 shortly after its interchange with MN 100, intersecting with CR 10 (Bass Lake Road) and several other roads. It enters Brooklyn Park

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

According to the 2010 census, there were 75,781 people residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 52% White, 24% African American, 1% Native American, 15% Asian, 42 residents identifying themselves as Pacific Islander, 4% from other races, and 4% from two or more races...

, 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

U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota

U.S. Route 169 is a major north–south highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota, connecting the Minnesota River valley with the Twin Cities and the Iron Range. Much of the route is built to expressway or freeway standards.-Route description:U.S...

 (US 169). In Osseo

Osseo, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,434 people, 1,035 households, and 606 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,179.7 people per square mile . There were 1,060 housing units at an average density of 1,384.7 per square mile...

, it intersects with Jefferson Highway/Central Avenue. In Maple Grove

Maple Grove, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 50,365 people , 17,532 households, and 13,955 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,532.3 people per square mile . There were 17,745 housing units at an average density of 539.9 per square mile...

 it intersects with Zachary Lane North, CR 30 (93rd Avenue), CR 130 (Elm Creek Boulevard), MN 610

Minnesota State Highway 610

Minnesota State Highway 610 is an east–west freeway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota; located in northern Hennepin County and southern Anoka County. The freeway currently connects U.S. Highway 169 and U.S. Highway 10 . MN 610 crosses the Mississippi River on the Richard P. Braun...

, Fernbrook Lane and Maple Grove Parkway. In Dayton

Dayton, Minnesota

Dayton is a city in Hennepin and Wright counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 4,671 at the 2010 census. Dayton is mainly in Hennepin County, but a part of the city extends into Wright County as well. It is the northernmost city in Hennepin County.The city of Dayton, platted...

, it intersects with CR 101/CR 13. In Rogers

Rogers, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,588 people, 1,195 households, and 982 families residing in the city. The population density was 715.1 people per square mile . There were 1,245 housing units at an average density of 248.1 per square mile...

 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 mile per hour; in downtown Minneapolis it is 35 mph (15.6 m/s).

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

U.S. Route 52 in Minnesota

U.S. Highway 52 enters the state of Minnesota at the unincorporated community of Prosper, north of the town of Burr Oak, Iowa. The route is marked north–south in Minnesota along its independent segment from the Iowa state line to downtown St. Paul...

, US 169

U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota

U.S. Route 169 is a major north–south highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota, connecting the Minnesota River valley with the Twin Cities and the Iron Range. Much of the route is built to expressway or freeway standards.-Route description:U.S...

, MN 101

Minnesota State Highway 101

Minnesota State Highway 101 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The present day route currently has two separate segments. The roadway was a continuous route until 1988.-Route description:...

, MN 152

Minnesota State Highway 152

Minnesota State Highway 152 was a highway in Minnesota, connecting the cities of St. Cloud and Minneapolis. It ran parallel to U.S. Route 52 and its route number derives from this. It originally began at U.S. 52 in St. Cloud and ran to U.S. 52 in Minneapolis, at the intersection of Washington...

, and MN 218

Minnesota State Highway 218

Minnesota State Highway 218 was a highway that originally ran from U.S. Route 218 in St. Paul to U.S. Route 210 in Brainerd. In 1935, it was extended south to Owatonna along the former route of U.S. 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

Minnesota State Highway 100

Minnesota State Highway 100 is a state highway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate 494 in Bloomington and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with I-694 in Brooklyn Center...

 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

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

Pierre Bottineau

Pierre Bottineau was a Minnesota Frontiersman.Known as the "Kit Carson of the Northwest", he was an integral part of the history and development of Minnesota and North Dakota. He was an accomplished surveyor and his many settlement parties founded cities all over Minnesota and North Dakota...

. The portion of CSAH 81 in North Minneapolis will remain signed as West Broadway.

Reconstruction work

A 7.5 miles (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. 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. Segments 3 and 4 (63rd Avenue to US 169, US 169 to CR 30/93rd Avenue) are currently not funded.

Major intersections