County Road 42 serves as an east–west arterial route for the South of the River suburbs of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul area.

The roadway connects the communities of Shakopee, Prior Lake, Savage, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Rosemount, and Hastings; which are all located south of the Minnesota River.

County 42 is designated as a principal arterial highway by the Metropolitan Council, and the roadway is supposed to have limited commercial access and traffic signals only at one-half mile intervals.

However, because it was used as a primary commercial road before its designation as a principal arterial highway, it passes directly through the downtown areas of several cities in Scott and Dakota Counties; most notably Burnsville and Apple Valley in Dakota County Most of County Road 42 is designated as part of the National Highway System.

[2] The purpose of the project is to provide movement between the north and the east with the closure of the nearby US 52 / MN 55 interchange.