Interstate 29 in South Dakota

Interstate 29 (I-29) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the midwestern United States. In the state of South Dakota, I-29 traverses on the eastern side of the state from the Iowa border near Sioux City to the North Dakota border near New Effington. On its route, I-29 passes through western portions of Sioux Falls, the state's largest city. It travels 252.5 miles (406.4 km) in the state, the longest stretch of any of the four states through which it passes.[1] Interstate 229, the highway's lone auxiliary route in South Dakota, serves as a bypass around southern and eastern Sioux Falls.

Interstate 29
I-29 highlighted in red
Route information
Defined by SDCL §31-4-152
Maintained by SDDOT
Length	252.50 mi[1] (406.36 km)
Major junctions
South end	I-29 at Iowa state line
	US 18 concurrency near Canton I-229 in Sioux Falls I-90 near Sioux Falls US 14 in Brookings US 212 in Watertown US 81 near Watertown US 12 near Summit
North end	I-29 / US 81 at North Dakota state line
Location
Counties	Union, Lincoln, Minnehaha, Moody, Brookings, Deuel, Hamlin, Codington, Grant, Roberts
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future South Dakota Highways Interstate U.S. State ← SD 28 → SD 30

Route description

The South Dakota section of Interstate 29 is defined in South Dakota Consolidated Laws § 31-4-152.[2] All of I-29 in South Dakota is included in the National Highway System,[3] a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[4] Average daily traffic volume on I-29 in South Dakota is relatively low by interstate highway standards. Most segments of I-29 outside of Sioux Falls receive between 5,000 and 20,000 vehicles per day, with numbers as high as 50,000 being reported in Sioux Falls.[5]

The speed limit on I-29 in South Dakota is 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) on most segments, but 65 mph (105 km/h) in Sioux Falls from exit 75 to exit 84.

Sioux City to Sioux Falls

An older version of the I-29 shield as used in South Dakota, still commonly seen along the route

Interstate 29 crosses from Iowa into South Dakota at the Big Sioux River and enters the state in Union County. Exit 1, the highway's first exit in South Dakota, serves unincorporated Dakota Dunes. North Sioux City, the first city the highway enters in the state, can be accessed from exits 2 and 4. At exit 9 is the next community, Jefferson. SD Highway 105 formerly ran parallel to I-29, with southern terminus at exit 2 and northern terminus at exit 9. North of Jefferson, I-29 has a business loop in Elk Point. This business loop also serves the southern terminus of SD 11, a state route that runs parallel to Interstate 29 through much of southern South Dakota. Farther north of Elk Point, the route runs northwest until its interchange with SD 50 at exit 26. This exit serves the cities of Vermillion and Yankton. After this exit, the highway curves north and heads for Beresford. Five miles (8.0 km) north at exit 31, the highway intersects SD 48. I-29 has one exit in Beresford, exit 47 serving SD 46, just after leaving Union County and entering Lincoln County. Beginning at exit 59, the highway runs concurrent with US 18. At exit 62, the concurrency with US 18 ends as US 18 branches to the east to serve Canton.[6]

North of Canton, I-29 begins to serve suburbs of Sioux Falls. Exit 71 serves Harrisburg and exit 73 serves Tea. Two miles (3.2 km) north of the Tea interchange, the interstate enters Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota. The highway has eight exits in Sioux Falls. The first exit in the city serves Interstate 229, a short auxiliary route that circles through the southern and eastern portions of the city. Just north of this interchange, I-29 enters Minnehaha County, the most populous county in South Dakota. At exit 79, the highway shares an interchange with SD 42, known as 12th Street. This exit, a Single-point urban interchange, serves downtown Sioux Falls. Exit 81 serves Russell Street, which leads to the new Denny Sanford PREMIER Center and the Sioux Falls Arena. At exit 83, I-29 intersects SD 38, also known as 60th Street North, which serves the Sioux Falls Regional Airport. Just north of the Sioux Falls city limits at exits 84A and 84B, a cloverleaf interchange, Interstate 29 reaches Interstate 90, the only other two-digit interstate in South Dakota. Exit 84A to I-90 east leads to the suburb of Brandon. Two miles (3.2 km) north of the interchange with I-90 the highway reaches exit 86, which serves Renner and Crooks, the two northernmost suburbs of Sioux Falls.[6]

Sioux Falls to North Dakota

I-29 northbound in Sioux Falls

After leaving the Sioux Falls area, Interstate 29 continues north toward Brookings. The highway serves the EROS Data Center and United States Geological Survey near Baltic. The highway then continues north and intersects the northern terminus of SD 115 west of Dell Rapids. This is I-29's last exit before leaving Minnehaha County and entering Moody County. The highway continues due north to an interchange with SD 34 near Madison. Just five miles (8.0 km) north of here, the route shares an interchange with SD 32, a highway that serves nearby Flandreau, South Dakota. The highway has a rest stop north of the Flandreau exit before entering Brookings County. The highway's first exit in Brookings County, serves SD 324. After this interchange, Interstate 29 enters Brookings and has two exits in the city. The first is an interchange with US 14 at exit 132. This exit is also a signed business spur of I-29. Exit 133 serves the bypass route of US 14. This exit is signed on the northbound route as "US 14B." After these exits, the highway continues north toward Watertown.[6]

Before leaving Brookings County and entering Deuel County, Interstate 29 intersects SD 30. About ten miles (16 km) north of here, the highway serves SD 28. After this interchange, the highway turns northwest en route to Watertown. Early planning of this segment of I-29 had the route passing just east of Kranzburg, or about 9 miles east of Watertown. A past president of the Watertown Chamber of Commerce contacted C.L. Chase, a member of the Democratic National Committee, in an effort to get I-29 routed closer to Watertown. The effort was successful; the westward alignment became known locally as the Chase Bend. East of Castlewood, I-29 intersects SD 22 before entering Hamlin County. The highway has no exits in Hamlin County, as it travels for only five miles (8.0 km) in the county, merely passing through the northeast corner of it before entering Codington County. The highway curves to the north one mile before its first exit in Codington County, which is exit 177, serving US 212 in the southeastern portion of Watertown.[6]

Interstate 29 intersects US 81 at exit 180, just northeast of Watertown, and the two routes become concurrent all the way to Manvel, North Dakota. Near the Codington-Grant county line, I-29 intersects SD 20. The highway has one exit in Grant County for Twin Brooks, though this road is not a signed highway. Entering Roberts County, I-29 has an interchange at Summit with US 12, for access to Aberdeen, and Milbank. The highway heads northeast after this interchange. West of Wilmot, the highway intersects SD 15. Shortly after this exit, the highway turns to the north again. Just east of Sisseton, I-29 has an interchange with SD 10, then curves northeast. Near the small town of New Effington, the highway curves north and has its last exit in South Dakota at exit 246. This exit serves SD 127. North of this final exit, Interstate 29 turns northeast and enters Richland County, North Dakota next to the Dakota Magic Casino and Hotel resort. At the state border is a parclo interchange entirely on the North Dakota side serving the casino/hotel.[6]

History

No freeway was originally designated between Sioux Falls and Fargo, North Dakota. In 1957, the segment of Interstate 29 from Fargo to the Canadian border was considered for designation as Interstate 31.[7] However, in 1958 it was decided to connect the two interstates between Sioux Falls and Fargo. The entire freeway from Kansas City, Missouri to the Canadian border was then built and signed as I-29.[8]

In September 1961, I-29 was extended across the Big Sioux River from Iowa to South Dakota. On April 1, 1962, some of the northbound directional spans collapsed into the Big Sioux River at the Iowa state line as a result of flooding and bridge scour.[9][10][11] On September 30, 1962, a 84-mile (135 km) section of I-29 between Sioux City and Sioux Falls was dedicated and opened to traffic.[12]

By 1967, I-29 had been constructed from the Iowa border to the exit for South Dakota Highway 34. Interstate 229, an auxiliary route for the highway bypassing Sioux Falls, had been constructed as well.[13]

Future

Between now and 2033, the South Dakota Department of Transportation is planning to upgrade the interchange with Interstate 229. SDDOT also plans to install an interchange with 85th Street in Sioux Falls, as well as a 69th Street overpass, turning a trumpet interchange into a redesigned tri-stack interchange.[14]

Exit list

County	Location	mi[15][16]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Union	​	0.00	0.00		I-29 south – Sioux City	Continuation into Iowa
	Dakota Dunes	0.98	1.58	1	Dakota Dunes	Parclo interchange
	North Sioux City	2.48	3.99	2	North Sioux City
		4.35	7.00	4	North Sioux City, McCook Lake
	​	9.50	15.29	9	Jefferson
	​	15.78	25.40	15	I-29 BL north – Elk Point
		18.30	29.45	18	I-29 BL south – Elk Point, Burbank	Parclo interchange
	​	26.70	42.97	26	SD 50 – Vermillion, Yankton
	​	31.27	50.32	31	SD 48 east – Spink, Akron
	​	38.32	61.67	38	Volin
	​	42.31	68.09	42	Alcester, Wakonda
Lincoln	Beresford	47.30	76.12	47	SD 46 – Beresford, Irene
	​	50.31	80.97	50	Centerville, Hudson
	​	53.32	85.81	53	Viborg
	​	56.33	90.65	56	Fairview
	​	59.33	95.48	59	US 18 west – Davis, Hurley	Southern end of US 18 concurrency
	​	62.35	100.34	62	US 18 east – Canton	Northern end of US 18 concurrency
	​	64.33	103.53	64	SD 44 – Worthing, Lennox
	​	68.35	110.00	68	Lennox, Parker
	Tea	71.36	114.84	71	Harrisburg, Tea
		73.38	118.09	73	Tea	Single-point urban interchange (SPUI)
	Sioux Falls	75.19	121.01	75	I-229 north – Sioux Falls	Trumpet interchange for now, will become tri-stack interchange in future; I-229 exits 1A-B southbound.
Minnehaha		77.26	124.34	77	41st Street	Also access to Augustana University, University of Sioux Falls
		78.12	125.72	78	26th Street / Louise Avenue
		79.26	127.56	79	I-29 Dwtn. east / SD 42 (12th Street) – Downtown	SPUI; Also access to Great Plains Zoo, USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial, Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science
		80.29	129.21	80	Madison Street – Sioux Empire Fairgrounds	SPUI
		81.32	130.87	81	Russell Street / Maple Street – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center	Parclo interchange having three northbound entrances: two from Russell St., one from Maple St.
		82.41	132.63	82	Benson Road – Sioux Falls, Sanford Pentagon/Sports Complex	SPUI
		83.38	134.19	83	SD 38 west (60th Street North) – Sioux Falls Regional Airport	Parclo interchange
	​	84.15	135.43	84	I-90 – Albert Lea, Rapid City	Signed as exits 84A (east, Albert Lea) and 84B (west, Rapid City); cloverleaf interchange; I-90 exits 396A-B
	​	86.40	139.05	86	Renner, Crooks
	​	94.49	152.07	94	Baltic, Colton	Also access to United States Geological Survey and EROS Data Center
	​	98.47	158.47	98	SD 115 south – Dell Rapids, Chester
Moody	​	104.81	168.68	104	Trent
	​	109.83	176.75	109	SD 34 – Madison, Colman, Egan
	​	114.82	184.78	114	SD 32 east – Flandreau
	​	121.83	196.07	121	Nunda, Ward
Brookings	​	127.80	205.67	127	SD 324 east – Elkton, Sinai	Western terminus of SD 324
	Brookings	132.79	213.70	132	I-29 BS west / US 14 (6th Street) – Brookings, Huron	Eastern terminus of I-29 Business Spur; Also access to South Dakota State University, Municipal Airport
		133.78	215.30	133	US 14 Byp. (18th Street) – Volga, Arlington	Also access to South Dakota State University, De Smet-Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder
	​	140.77	226.55	140	SD 30 – White, Bruce
Deuel	​	150.87	242.80	150	SD 15 north / SD 28 – Toronto, Estelline	SD 15 only signed northbound
	​	157.63	253.68	157	Brandt
	​	164.53	264.79	164	SD 22 – Castlewood, Clear Lake
Hamlin	No major junctions
Codington	Watertown	177.93	286.35	177	US 212 – Watertown, Kranzburg	Also access to Redlin Art Center, Lake Area Technical Institute, Mount Marty College-Watertown Campus
	​	180.94	291.19	180	US 81 south – Watertown	Southern end of US 81 concurrency; Also access to Bramble Park Zoo, Municipal Airport, US 81 only signed southbound
	​	185.95	299.26	185	Waverly
	​	193.02	310.64	193	SD 20 – South Shore, Stockholm
Grant	​	201.05	323.56	201	Twin Brooks
Roberts	​	207.29	333.60	207	US 12 – Aberdeen, Milbank	Also access to Northern State University, Summit, Webster, Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery, Waubay National Wildlife Refuge
	​	213.87	344.19	213	SD 15 – Wilmot	Also access to Hartford Beach State Park
	​	224.02	360.53	224	Peever	Also access to Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Headquarters and Community College, Pickerel Lake Recreation Area
	​	232.07	373.48	232	SD 10 – Sisseton, Browns Valley	Also access to Roy Lake State Park, Fort Sisseton State Park
	​	242.02	389.49	242	(no name)
	​	246.42	396.57	246	SD 127 – New Effington, Rosholt	Also access to Sica Hollow State Park
	​	252.50	406.36		I-29 north / US 81 – Fargo	Continuation into North Dakota
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

References

1. "Main Routes of the Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
2. "South Dakota Codified Laws - § 31-4-152". South Dakota Legislature. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
3. "National Highway System Map" (PDF). South Dakota: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
4. "The National Highway System". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
5. "2011 Traffic Map" (PDF). South Dakota Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
6. "Google Maps Overview of Interstate 29". Retrieved October 28, 2012.
7. Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, August 14, 1957
8. Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, June 27, 1958
9. "Rain, storms follow weekend of storms; stir fears of floods". Lodi News-Sentinel. United Press International. April 2, 1962. p. 5. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
10. "I-29 bridge collapse". Sioux City Journal. April 22, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
11. Richardson, E. V.; Lagasse, P. F. (1999). Stream Stability and Scour at Highway Bridges. American Society of Civil Engineers. p. 57. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
12. Gilbride, F. J. (October 1, 1962). "Event Marks Completion Of Interstate Highway". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. p. 5. Retrieved January 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "North Central 1967". Gousha. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
14. "I-29 Corridor Study" (PDF). South Dakota Department of Transportation. Exit 73 through Exit 77. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
15. "State Highway Log" (PDF). Mitchell Region: South Dakota Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
16. "State Highway Log" (PDF). Aberdeen Region: South Dakota Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 28, 2012.

External links

• Media related to Interstate 29 in South Dakota at Wikimedia Commons