▁to ▁give ▁the ▁highway ▁a ▁park way - like ▁experience . ▁As ▁such , ▁it ▁was ▁built ▁with ▁a ▁wider ▁right - of - way ▁than ▁the ▁typical ▁highway . ▁ ▁The ▁Golden ▁Valley ▁Garden ▁Club ▁supported ▁efforts ▁to ▁plant ▁l il acs ▁along ▁the ▁highway ▁and ▁the ▁Min ne apolis ▁Journal ▁co ined ▁the ▁name ▁" L il ac ▁Way ". ▁ ▁Event ually , ▁ 7 , 0 0 0 ▁l il acs ▁were ▁plant ed . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁build ers ▁built ▁five ▁way side ▁par ks ▁along ▁the ▁way . ▁These ▁par ks ▁were ▁intended ▁for ▁pic nick ing ▁and ▁featured ▁stone ▁pic nic ▁tables , ▁be eh ive ▁bar bec ues , ▁water falls ▁and ▁so ▁on . ▁These ▁fi xt ures ▁provided ▁work ▁for ▁local ▁st on em asons , ▁as ▁another ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁W PA ▁project . ▁The ▁western ▁leg ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁but ▁further ▁construction ▁on ▁the ▁bel t way ▁was ▁halt ed ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁entry ▁into ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁An ▁extension ▁from ▁then - US ▁ 5 2 ▁( now ▁CR ▁ 8 1 ) ▁in ▁Rob b ins dale ▁to ▁US ▁ 1 0 ▁( near ▁present - day ▁I - 3 5 W ) ▁in ▁New ▁Bright on ▁was ▁built ▁with ▁federal ▁aid ▁to ▁provide ▁access ▁to ▁industrial ▁areas ▁as ▁an ▁asset ▁to ▁the ▁manufact ure ▁of ▁" ess ential ▁war ▁materials ". ▁ ▁Gra es er ▁Park ▁in ▁Rob