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Reconnect US 61?

Started by texaskdog, December 14, 2024, 03:13:06 AM

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texaskdog

Why not recommission US 61 north of Duluth?  And a good way to connect it:  at Forest Lake extend it east along US 8 and then north on scenic Wisconsin 35 up to Superior?


TheHighwayMan3561

It's been almost 35 years. It's over unfortunately. The North Shore is still Highway 61, so your average joe doesn't know the difference.
I make Poiponen look smart

Rothman

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

SEWIGuy

Quote from: texaskdog on December 14, 2024, 03:13:06 AMWhy not recommission US 61 north of Duluth?  And a good way to connect it:  at Forest Lake extend it east along US 8 and then north on scenic Wisconsin 35 up to Superior?

Yeah, there is zero need for this.

Sapphuby

If you asked to recommission US 61 to Duluth there could've been some merit to that, but asking for it to be recommissioned further north than that is like asking a wall to move. This would've been better in Fictional as well.

Rothman

Quote from: Sapphuby on December 14, 2024, 08:21:57 PMIf you asked to recommission US 61 to Duluth there could've been some merit to that, but asking for it to be recommissioned further north than that is like asking a wall to move. This would've been better in Fictional as well.

Any recommissioning is fanciful.  There's no real reason to recommission U.S. routes.  NHS designation does not coincide with old U.S. route designations, just as one example.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

The Ghostbuster

Perhaps they could have de-signed US 61 along Interstate 35 between Wyoming and Duluth and allowed the Duluth-to-Grand Portage segment to remain US 61. Alas, US 61 has as much of a chance of being recommissioned along Interstate 35 (and to the Canadian border) as US 16 has being recommissioned along Interstate 90.

TheHighwayMan3561

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 16, 2024, 03:19:13 PMPerhaps they could have de-signed US 61 along Interstate 35 between Wyoming and Duluth and allowed the Duluth-to-Grand Portage segment to remain US 61. Alas, US 61 has as much of a chance of being recommissioned along Interstate 35 (and to the Canadian border) as US 16 has being recommissioned along Interstate 90.

What research I've done indicates the route was already mostly ghosted by 1990 (similar to US 12 and US 52 in the state). The things MnDOT cited as reasons to pursue the decommissioning were things they were already long doing.

MnDOT also applied to decommission 61 in I believe 1971, but was denied, with my guess being because I-35 was not complete between MSP and Duluth until 1977.
I make Poiponen look smart

invincor

In fact, haven't I seen somewhere that MnDOT would like to truncate US 61 back still further, perhaps to the point where it meets I-94 in St. Paul?

SEWIGuy

Quote from: invincor on December 17, 2024, 11:20:39 AMIn fact, haven't I seen somewhere that MnDOT would like to truncate US 61 back still further, perhaps to the point where it meets I-94 in St. Paul?

Might as well trucate it where it meets US-10 southeast of the cities then.

The Ghostbuster

Have there been any official proposals to truncate US 61 from its present terminus at Interstate 35's Exit 135 in Wyoming? If 61 were to be truncated further, it would probably end at US 10 in Hastings.

TheHighwayMan3561

MnDOT has expressed it would like to make that truncation eventually (I think by 2030 was the hope, but that might be optimistic now). Some of the more exurban towns that would lose 61 have voiced concerns about it.

It would probably keep the useless concurrency to I-94 because 61 is the better known route number locally on that duplex.
I make Poiponen look smart

vdeane

Quote from: SEWIGuy on December 14, 2024, 04:19:02 PM
Quote from: texaskdog on December 14, 2024, 03:13:06 AMWhy not recommission US 61 north of Duluth?  And a good way to connect it:  at Forest Lake extend it east along US 8 and then north on scenic Wisconsin 35 up to Superior?

Yeah, there is zero need for this.
It is odd that the only connection between Duluth and Thunder Bay on the US side is a state route, however.  Normally such a major corridor would at least be a US route.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

SEWIGuy

Quote from: vdeane on December 17, 2024, 08:38:38 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on December 14, 2024, 04:19:02 PM
Quote from: texaskdog on December 14, 2024, 03:13:06 AMWhy not recommission US 61 north of Duluth?  And a good way to connect it:  at Forest Lake extend it east along US 8 and then north on scenic Wisconsin 35 up to Superior?

Yeah, there is zero need for this.
It is odd that the only connection between Duluth and Thunder Bay on the US side is a state route, however.  Normally such a major corridor would at least be a US route.

Major corridor? It averages about 1,000 vpd near the border. They're two cities of about 100k, 200 miles away from one another.

NE2

pre-1945 Florida route log

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texaskdog

Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on December 14, 2024, 10:25:40 AMIt's been almost 35 years. It's over unfortunately. The North Shore is still Highway 61, so your average joe doesn't know the difference.

Yes I would have just extended MN 23 since it already goes to Duluth.  Was that ever considered?

texaskdog

Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on December 17, 2024, 02:08:18 PMMnDOT has expressed it would like to make that truncation eventually (I think by 2030 was the hope, but that might be optimistic now). Some of the more exurban towns that would lose 61 have voiced concerns about it.

It would probably keep the useless concurrency to I-94 because 61 is the better known route number locally on that duplex.

It takes Minnesota forever to decommission highways.  I moved away in 2006 and they had been talking about several for years before that, such as MN 47 & MN 65 in Minneapolis, MN 96, MN 120....maybe moving MN 5 to Shepard Road. 

Rothman

Quote from: vdeane on December 17, 2024, 08:38:38 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on December 14, 2024, 04:19:02 PM
Quote from: texaskdog on December 14, 2024, 03:13:06 AMWhy not recommission US 61 north of Duluth?  And a good way to connect it:  at Forest Lake extend it east along US 8 and then north on scenic Wisconsin 35 up to Superior?

Yeah, there is zero need for this.
It is odd that the only connection between Duluth and Thunder Bay on the US side is a state route, however.  Normally such a major corridor would at least be a US route.

It was, it is no longer, it doesn't matter.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Henry

Wyoming to Duluth is 124 miles, and with the presence of I-35 now being the only route between these two places, this is too much ground to make up for such an ambitious project. And yes, this should go into Fictional Highways, as there currently is no push for this, and the decommissioned part north of Duluth is still Highway 61, just with a state shield instead.
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SEWIGuy

Quote from: texaskdog on December 17, 2024, 10:21:35 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on December 14, 2024, 10:25:40 AMIt's been almost 35 years. It's over unfortunately. The North Shore is still Highway 61, so your average joe doesn't know the difference.

Yes I would have just extended MN 23 since it already goes to Duluth.  Was that ever considered?

No idea. But at least it's still Highway 61.

froggie

Quote from: texaskdog on December 17, 2024, 10:23:02 PMIt takes Minnesota forever to decommission highways.

Yes...there's a number of reason for this.  Primarily, MnDOT's Turnback Fund is paltry compared to the need.  Furthermore, most jurisdictions demand a major resurfacing (if not outright reconstruction) of the highway in question before they'll agree to take it over from MnDOT.  And the state's Municipal Consent law gives those local jurisdictions leverage in the negotiations.

roadman65

Reminds me of an old thread. Someone suggested it and Agent Steel got snarky at the user, and then got snarky with me for bashing him for getting on the users case.

Good ole Jake. Another user gone.

If he stayed it would be interesting to see arguments with him and Rothman. :sombrero: I'm sure those two would clash constantly.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

TheHighwayMan3561

What I would like to happen, is if 61 is eventually handed to the counties that the current old alignment of 61 north of Wyoming marked as Chisago CSAH 30 is renumbered to 61 for continuity with Pine County and Carlton County's sections.
I make Poiponen look smart



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