South Dakota Highway 42

Highway 42
Route of SD 42 (in red)
Route information
Defined by SDCL §31-4-162
Maintained by SDDOT
Length:	71.973 mi (115.829 km)
Western segment
Length:	5.870 mi (9.447 km)
West end:	US 281 in Aurora County
East end:	Aurora–Davison county line
Central segment
Length:	59.231 mi (95.323 km)
West end:	SD 37 west of Ethan
Major junctions:	US 81 in McCook County
East end:	Sioux Falls
Eastern segment
Length:	6.872 mi (11.059 km)
West end:	SD 11 in Sioux Falls
East end:	Iowa 9 west of Benclare
Location
Counties:	Aurora, Davison, Hanson, McCook, Minnehaha
Highway system
South Dakota Highways ← x20px SD 41 SD 43 →

South Dakota Highway 42 (SD 42) is a segmented state highway in southeastern South Dakota. The first segment is a six-mile-long (9.7 km) highway in Aurora County. The second and longest is 60 miles (97 km) long and connects Ethan and Sioux Falls. The final segment connects Sioux Falls to Iowa Highway 9 southeast of Rowena.

Route description

The westernmost segment of SD 42 begins at a junction with U.S. Route 281 (US 281) and travels east through open farmland. This is the shortest of the three segments; it is only about six miles (9.7 km) long, and it ends as the roadway crosses from Aurora County into Davison County.

The central segment of the highway begins at an intersection with SD 37 in rural Davison County. It heads east and crosses the BNSF Railway. Just east of the railroad, the route passes through the town of Ethan, then enters Hanson County. About six miles (9.7 km) farther east, SD 42 bends slightly to the south and crosses the James River. The highway continues east through the flat prairie and enters McCook County.

About five miles (8.0 km) east of the county line, the highway enters the city of Bridgewater. Here, it curves to the northeast and crosses another branch of the BNSF Railway before meeting the eastern terminus of SD 262. SD 42 then curves back to the east and leaves Bridgewater. It continues through flat farmland, intersecting US 81 and passing over the west fork of the Vermillion River. The route heads east about ten miles (16 km) before crossing the east fork of the Vermillion River, and then entering Minnehaha County.

File:SD 42 Sioux Falls 2.jpg

SD 42 in western Sioux Falls

In Minnehaha County, SD 42 intersects SD 19, and the two highways run east for about one mile (1.6 km) before SD 19 splits off to the north, and SD 42 continues east toward Sioux Falls. It intersects the northern terminus of SD 17 approximately three miles (4.8 km) east of the city. The central segment of SD 42 ends at Tea-Ellis Road near the Sioux Falls city limits.

The easternmost segment of SD 42 begins at Six Mile Road east of the city of Sioux Falls. It runs southeast, concurrent with SD 11 along Arrowhead Parkway. The two highways pass by a golf course and a park before crossing the Big Sioux River. East of the river, SD 11 turns to the north toward Brandon, and SD 42 curves to the east. The highway passes through the unincorporated community of Rowena before curving due south and crossing the Iowa state line. The route continues into Iowa as Iowa Highway 9.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Aurora	​	0.000	0.000	US 281
Aurora–Davison county line	​	5.870	9.447	End state maintenance
Gap in route
Davison	Ethan	5.870	9.447	SD 37
Hanson	​	25.049	40.312	SD 25 north
McCook	Bridgewater	31.811	51.195	SD 262 west
	​	37.100	59.707	US 81
Minnehaha	​	51.089	82.220	SD 19 south	West end of SD 19 concurrency
	Pumpkin Center	52.102	83.850	SD 19 north	East end of SD 19 concurrency
	​	62.101	99.942	SD 17 south
	Sioux Falls	65.101	104.770	Tea-Ellis Road	Gap in state maintenance
Gap in route
Minnehaha	Sioux Falls	65.101	104.770	Six Mile Road	Resume state maintenance, west end of SD 11 concurrency
	​	67.334	108.364	SD 11 north	East end of SD 11 concurrency
	​	71.973	115.829	Iowa 9	Continuation into Iowa
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus