Where Is Minnesota Looking At Adding A New Freeway?

I've been waiting years for some road relief, and while it's not coming to the St. Cloud area, at least in terms of a new freeway, the state of Minnesota is looking at converting a highway in the North Metro into the newest freeway. The move would eliminate stoplights and add over or underpasses for those intersections.

The State of Minnesota is looking at transforming Highway 252 in the North Metro, into a freeway. The move would remove the numerous stoplights that run along 252, and in their place put in over or underpasses for motorists to exit.

The 4.4-mile highway is one of the most traveled highways in the state that still has traffic signals; for which interchanges are not immediately planned.

According to the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal (Paywall) "MnDOT said that Highway 252 needs to be made safer to encourage multiple modes of transportation for north metro residents and visitors. The changes would affect the highway between North 4th Street in Minneapolis to Highway 610."

MnDOT's website, which is outlining the potential conversion project, states that:

Currently, people who use Hwy 252 experience a high number of crashes and heavy traffic congestion, and they feel unsafe walking, biking or rolling across the highway. In fact, three of the existing intersections along Hwy 252 have historically ranked in the top 10 in crashes statewide. These challenges impact the cohesiveness and livability of the surrounding communities and the commuters traveling on Hwy 252 on a daily basis. - MnDOT Project

Highway 252 has a connection to Central Minnesota as a portion of 252 used to be Highway 169, before it was moved further West, thus creating the new highway/expressway known as Highway 252.