Lakeville to Fridley is 34.7 miles and takes about 47 minutes via I-35W, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest. It's primarily a highway drive, making it a straightforward option for a quick trip between these Twin Cities suburbs. You'll likely find it to be a very efficient way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35W
16.4 mi
20m
I 94
7.7 mi
9m
I 35
2.6 mi
2m
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
2m
University Avenue Northeast
1.3 mi
2m
Kenwood Trail
1.2 mi
2m
Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
0.7 mi
1m
I 694
0.6 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 16.4 mi, about 20m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,040 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,740
Quietest
2 AM
~239 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 82 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakeville, MN and Fridley, MN.
1
Start on 207th Street West
22 ft·5 sec·207th Street West
2
Turn right onto Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Holyoke Avenue
3
Enter roundabout onto CR 50
198 ft·3 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
4
Continue on CR 50
0.5 mi·50 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
5
Continue on CR 5
0.7 mi·1 min·Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
6
Continue on CR 5
1.6 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
7
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
125 ft·2 sec·Kenwood Trail
8
Continue on CR 5
1.2 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 35 NorthUse the right lane.
10
Merge onto I 35
2.6 mi·2 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
16 mi·20 min·I 35W
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 65
0.3 mi·17 sec·MN 65
Toward I 94 West
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Toward I 94 WestUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 94; MN 55
7.7 mi·9 min·I 94; MN 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
319 ft·7 sec
Exit 225Toward MN 252, I 694 East
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward I 694 East
17
Merge onto I 694
0.6 mi·41 sec·I 694
18
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
Exit 37Toward MN 47: University AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward MN 47Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
20
Turn left onto MN 47
1.3 mi·2 min·University Avenue Northeast
Use the left / straight lanes.
21
Turn right onto CR 6
49 ft·1 sec·Mississippi Street Northeast
Use the right lane.
22
Arrive at destination
CR 6
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 17.4 miles from Lakeville, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 33.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 35 North
6
7.3 mi into trip|~10m in|I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
24 mi into trip|~32m in
Take the exit toward I 94 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West
7
33.2 mi into trip|~44m in
Take the exit toward MN 47: University Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 37
Toward MN 47: University Avenue
8
33.3 mi into trip|~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MN 47
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MN 47
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.84 one way
$11.68 round trip
$4.28/gal25.4 MPG avg12 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.75
$6.48
$12.97
premium
$5.29
$7.22
$14.44
diesel
$6.18
$8.44
$16.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
10.4
0
$3.64
$1.67
Efficient EV
8.7
0
$3.04
$1.39
EV Truck/SUV
13.9
0
$4.86
$2.22
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 15, 2026
Origin
Lakeville, MN
Night
in Lakeville on Sunday
Local time
9:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Rain
NW 10 mph100% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 15 at 2:19PM CDT until October 16 at 6:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 15 at 1:53PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI
Destination
Fridley, MN
Night
in Fridley on Sunday
Local time
9:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Rain
WNW 10 mph95% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 15 at 2:19PM CDT until October 16 at 6:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 15 at 1:53PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
47m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 80% of this 34.7-mile drive on highways, with the longest continuous stretch being 16.4 miles on I-35W. Expect mostly highway cruising, with the transition to surface roads happening near the end of your trip. With a high highway share, be prepared for urban merging and dense traffic, especially as you approach the Minneapolis metro area.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.4 mi on I 35W.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 34.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 34.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.4 miles on I 35W. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Fridley, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fridley, MN before heading back.
