Minnesota State Highway 252

Trunk Highway 252
Route information
Defined by MS § 161.115(41)
Maintained by Mn/DOT
Length:	4.353 mi (7.005 km)
Existed:	1977-78 – present
Major junctions
South end:	/ I-94/I-694 in Brooklyn Center
North end:	MN 610 in Brooklyn Park
Location
Counties:	Hennepin
Highway system
Minnesota Trunk Highways Interstate US State Legislative routes ← MN 251 MN 253 →

Minnesota State Highway 252 (MN 252) is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate Highways 94 and 694 in Brooklyn Center and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with State Highway 610 in Brooklyn Park. The route is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) in length.

Highway 252 generally follows not far from the west bank of the Mississippi River throughout its route.

Route description

State Highway 252 serves as a north–south route in suburban Hennepin County between Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. The route is heavily stoplighted and has a 55 MPH posted speed limit. Highway 252 is built as an expressway with access limited to signalized intersections and interchanges only.

Highway 252, together with State Highway 610, serve as a connection between the northern suburbs and Interstate 94 towards downtown Minneapolis.

The route is built as a six-lane expressway from I-94 / I-694 to 73rd Avenue North. The route is built as a four-lane expressway from 73rd Avenue North to its junction with Highway 610.

The 4.5 mile highway is one of the most traveled highways in the state that still has traffic signals; and for which interchanges are not immediately planned. Highway 252 near its junction with I-94 / I-694 in Brooklyn Center, carries 70,000 vehicles a day as of 2006.

Legally, Highway 252 is defined as part of unmarked legislative route 110 in the Minnesota Statutes. Highway 252 is not marked with this legislative number along the actual highway.

History

Highway 252 was marked in the late 1970s. Previously, this was the old routing of U.S. Highway 169 between downtown Minneapolis and the present day suburb of Champlin. Old U.S. 169 had followed Lyndale Avenue North out of downtown Minneapolis and proceeded northbound to a junction with old U.S. Highway 52 (now U.S. 169) in Champlin.

Highway 169 was rerouted west of that position in the late 1970s, and this route was then renumbered Highway 252. After intersecting State Highway 610 was built, and as part of the 1988 highway swap, the portion of 252 north of Highway 610 was turned back to Hennepin County maintenance and renumbered Hennepin County Road 12.

Highway 252 was built to expressway standards in the mid 1980s.

The intersection of Highway 252 and 85th Avenue North in Brooklyn Park is particularly dangerous for pedestrians to cross. In 1999, an 11-year-old girl, Kara Kavanaugh, was struck by a car and killed at the intersection, sparking renewed debate about building a pedestrian bridge in that location. In 2004, a pedestrian bridge was finally built in this location, and dedicated to Kara Kavanaugh.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Hennepin County.

Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Brooklyn Center	0.000	0.000	I-94	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	0.083– 0.460	0.134– 0.740	I-694	No access from northbound 252 to westbound 694
Brooklyn Park	3.233– 3.239	5.203– 5.213	CR 109 (85th Avenue N.)	Signalized at-grade intersection
	3.795– 4.353	6.107– 7.005	MN 610	Interchange
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Incomplete access