U.S. Route 12 in Minnesota

U.S. Highway 12
U.S. 12 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Mn/DOT
Length:	192.798 mi (310.278 km)
Existed:	November 11, 1926 – present
Major junctions
West end:	U.S. 12 at the Minnesota — South Dakota state line
	U.S. 75 / MN 7 at Ortonville MN 9 / MN 29 at Benson U.S. 71 / MN 23 at Willmar MN 22 / MN 24 at Litchfield MN 15 at Dassel MN 25 at Montrose I-394 / I-494 at Minnetonka I-94 / I-35W at Minneapolis I-494 / I-694 at Woodbury MN 95 at Lakeland
East end:	I-94/U.S. 12 at the St. Croix River, the Minnesota — Wisconsin state line
Location
Counties:	Big Stone, Swift, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Wright, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Replaced Minnesota Trunk Highways Interstate US State Legislative routes ← MN 11 MN 13 →

U.S. Highway 12 (U.S. 12) is a highway in west-central and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the South Dakota state line at Ortonville near Big Stone Lake and continues east to the St. Croix River at the Wisconsin state line. U.S. 12 in Minnesota is 192 miles (309 km) in length. The route connects the cities of Ortonville, Benson, Willmar, Litchfield, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul.

From the South Dakota / Minnesota state line at Ortonville, to Orono in the Twin Cities area, U.S. 12 is mostly a rural two-lane highway with a 55 MPH posted speed limit, with slower speed limits through towns and a four-lane surface arterial segment through the city of Willmar.

From Orono to Wayzata, U.S. 12 is a two-lane freeway/super-2 bypass around Long Lake.

From western Wayzata to Interstate 394 in Minnetonka, U.S. 12 is a six-lane freeway. East of Interstate 494, U.S. 12 is invisibly concurrent with Interstates 394 and 94 through Minneapolis and Saint Paul to the Minnesota / Wisconsin state line at Hudson.