Minnesota Notes

[kernals12]

It would be very odd for MnDOT to convert a freeway into a boulevard when they are planning to do the opposite, convert a boulevard, SH 252, to a freeway, not far away.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The boulevard and the expanded freeway options are both DOA in my opinion. St. Paul doesn't want the latter and acted dumbfounded MnDOT even showed up with those alternatives.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The long-awaited 77th St. underpass beneath TH 77/Cedar Avenue in Richfield near the airport is finally complete, with the hope it takes some local trips off of I-494.

https://www.startribune.com/new-tunnel-under-hwy-77-years-in-the-making-is-open/600293066/?fbclid=IwAR2nNmirI4s2E1ALYzpYKOJyw4kOnxumi6cDsG4yTDhIc2GgIgGfGwSx8CY

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I took a day drive out into western MN along Lake Traverse today, clinching TH 27, 28, and 117.

-The new roundabouts at the western I-94/TH 27 interchange on the west edge of Alexandria are open.
-I know construction signs are always of questionable quality, but I guess "New Muenich" is Minnesota's newest city.

-TH 117 may have replaced my longtime choice of TH 308 as Minnesota's most useless state highway. It's just a stub spur from TH 27 to the South Dakota border where the county road on the SD side neither connects directly to I-29 nor even to the town of Rosholt that BGSs direct you to reach via 117. This is the only reassurance sign on 117 in either direction. There is an END shield for a route that no one coming from the SD side even previously knew they were on. But I speculated elsewhere that MnDOT would probably have a hard time getting Traverse County (one of MN's least populated counties) to take it because it has two river bridges along its short length.

[flan]

"New Muenich" gave me a laugh yesterday. At least they got rid of that I-34 detour sign near Alexandria a few weeks ago I think.

MN 117 is pointless but it is sort of pretty.

[flan]

It looks like MN 263 has finally been turned back to Martin County. Most 263 signs have been replaced by Martin CR 27 signs, although I did manage to spot a remaining 263 sign along another intersecting county highway.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It looks like MN 263 has finally been turned back to Martin County. Most 263 signs have been replaced by Martin CR 27 signs, although I did manage to spot a remaining 263 sign along another intersecting county highway.

MnDOT is usually pretty spotless with these sorts of things, so it would be fun if they permanently missed this one.

[bschultzy]

The long-awaited 77th St. underpass beneath TH 77/Cedar Avenue in Richfield near the airport is finally complete, with the hope it takes some local trips off of I-494.

https://www.startribune.com/new-tunnel-under-hwy-77-years-in-the-making-is-open/600293066/?fbclid=IwAR2nNmirI4s2E1ALYzpYKOJyw4kOnxumi6cDsG4yTDhIc2GgIgGfGwSx8CY

It's great this is finally done. Very strange, though, that the Strib would call it a tunnel when it's a typical underpass.

[flan]

Just a funny thing I found; the City of Isanti thinks MN 65 is still a US highway apparently. Also "US Interstate 35".

Link

[triplemultiplex]

Just a funny thing I found; the City of Isanti thinks MN 65 is still a US highway apparently. Also "US Interstate 35".

Link

There's a local TV commercial around here that touts their location as "just off interstate I-39".

[Papa Emeritus]

On Friday, I drove from Thunder Bay to Duluth on 61.

There were many stretches where the pavement was in such bad shape that it was beyond the end of its lifespan, especially in the Grand Marais area.

I know it would be a nightmare to do a full reconstruction in this area because of problems with alternate routes, but MnDoT can't keep patching the road forever.

Has there been any discussion of a rebuild of 61?

[The Ghostbuster]

Several times over the years, me, my mother and my late stepfather traveled from Madison to Two Harbors, MN. We always utilized the MN 61 expressway to get from Duluth to Two Harbors (where the expressway ends). One time, we traveled all the way up 61 to the Canadian border at Grand Portage, though we didn't cross into Canada since we didn't have passports. We always stayed at the Superior Shores Resort just north of town. If anyone ever goes up that way, give the resort a try, and don't forget to stop at Betty's Pies a little further up 61.

[texaskdog]

Several times over the years, me, my mother and my late stepfather traveled from Madison to Two Harbors, MN. We always utilized the MN 61 expressway to get from Duluth to Two Harbors (where the expressway ends). One time, we traveled all the way up 61 to the Canadian border at Grand Portage, though we didn't cross into Canada since we didn't have passports. We always stayed at the Superior Shores Resort just north of town. If anyone ever goes up that way, give the resort a try, and don't forget to stop at Betty's Pies a little further up 61.

Heck we used to stay in the cabins that were there before they tore them down for Superior Shores!!

[Rothman]

I still think it's sad that you now have to book months in advance for North Shore lodging now that the area has been "discovered." 

I worry that the state parks are being ruined by the crowds stomping over everything.

I've got the Betty's Pies cookbook, though, and I've made their french blueberry cream pie often.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

On Friday, I drove from Thunder Bay to Duluth on 61.

There were many stretches where the pavement was in such bad shape that it was beyond the end of its lifespan, especially in the Grand Marais area.

I know it would be a nightmare to do a full reconstruction in this area because of problems with alternate routes, but MnDoT can't keep patching the road forever.

Has there been any discussion of a rebuild of 61?

I'm a little confused by this, since there has been quite a bit of work on 61 in Cook County and I don't see the same critical issues you do. Simultaneous projects rebuilt the road through Grand Marais and improved the previously rough section on Grand Portage, along with spot bridge replacements in other places.

To me, the worst part of the road right now is from about TH 1 to the Lake/Cook line. At least with that section, TH 1 and Lake CSAH 6 makes for a fairly reasonable detour.

While we're on the subject of TH 61, MnDOT dropped plans for a roundabout at 60th Ave East in Duluth after neighborhood pushback. Opposition stemmed from a house needing to be torn down and some nearby parkland being eaten up. For what it's worth, the woman who owns the house in question doesn't oppose roundabouts, such as the planned one at 40th Ave East, and suggested one should be built where Superior St meets the end of the TH 61 expressway.

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/mndot-drops-controversial-plan-for-roundabout-on-duluths-london-road

[JREwing78]

While we're on the subject of TH 61, MnDOT dropped plans for a roundabout at 60th Ave East in Duluth after neighborhood pushback. Opposition stemmed from a house needing to be torn down and some nearby parkland being eaten up. For what it's worth, the woman who owns the house in question doesn't oppose roundabouts, such as the planned one at 40th Ave East, and suggested one should be built where Superior St meets the end of the TH 61 expressway.

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/mndot-drops-controversial-plan-for-roundabout-on-duluths-london-road

One of those rare occasions where all parties are reasonable and aren't launching into hyperbolic arguments out of stupidity.

I agree that Superior St at Hwy 61 would be a more appropriate location for a roundabout. The only concern would be if a train blocks Hwy 61 for too long, though I suspect that will not likely happen very often if at all.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

While we're on the subject of TH 61, MnDOT dropped plans for a roundabout at 60th Ave East in Duluth after neighborhood pushback. Opposition stemmed from a house needing to be torn down and some nearby parkland being eaten up. For what it's worth, the woman who owns the house in question doesn't oppose roundabouts, such as the planned one at 40th Ave East, and suggested one should be built where Superior St meets the end of the TH 61 expressway.

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/mndot-drops-controversial-plan-for-roundabout-on-duluths-london-road

I agree that Superior St at Hwy 61 would be a more appropriate location for a roundabout. The only concern would be if a train blocks Hwy 61 for too long, though I suspect that will not likely happen very often if at all.

The adjacent intersection of Highway 61 and the scenic drive would probably be a good spot for one also given heavy turning traffic and awkward sight lines.

The trains probably aren't much of an issue given the vast majority of rail traffic is from the North Shore Scenic Railroad which only operates in the summer/early fall. They lease out their trackage for winter storage when the scenic railroad is in the offseason, but that stuff is kept toward the Two Harbors end.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The groundbreaking for the last segment of 610 (which will be county maintained as Hennepin CSAH 610) west of I-94 in Maple Grove took place a few days ago, with construction beginning in October and going until 2025.

The map enclosed indicates some MnEOT-maintained ramp elements remain unfunded.

https://ccxmedia.org/news/highway-610-project-aims-to-ease-traffic-congestion-grow-jobs/

https://www.610extensionproject.com/

[The Ghostbuster]

I had thought MN 610 was already completed. I assume this new extension will have signaled, at-grade intersections instead of interchanges.

[triplemultiplex]

Indeed:

[bschultzy]

Ever wonder about the history and purpose of the pedestrian bridge over 494 just east of Nicollet? A local guy named Tyler Vigen did a fascinating deep dive.

[The Ghostbuster]

Kurumi has started a new thread on the 494 pedestrian bridge: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=33726.0.

[jakeroot]

I was browsing around the Burnsville area, and I noticed this wide spot in the median along Dakota County Road 42 E:

https://goo.gl/maps/5vhBZ176YAeqanea8

Looks like it was built this way in the 1960s. The eastbound roadway is the original, with the westbound roadway added in the 1960s.

For the most part, when it was built, the new westbound roadway followed alongside the original roadway with a "typical width" median (~25 to 30 feet), except just before Dakota County Road 11, where it widened substantially. It then narrowed down to a four lane road without any median east of County Road 11.

I'm curious if there is any explanation for why the road widened so much right through there? Perhaps a flyover was planned?


Dakota County Road 42 E by Jacob Root, on Flickr

[andarcondadont]

I was browsing around the Burnsville area, and I noticed this wide spot in the median along Dakota County Road 42 E:

https://goo.gl/maps/5vhBZ176YAeqanea8

Looks like it was built this way in the 1960s. The eastbound roadway is the original, with the westbound roadway added in the 1960s.

For the most part, when it was built, the new westbound roadway followed alongside the original roadway with a "typical width" median (~25 to 30 feet), except just before Dakota County Road 11, where it widened substantially. It then narrowed down to a four lane road without any median east of County Road 11.

I'm curious if there is any explanation for why the road widened so much right through there? Perhaps a flyover was planned?


Dakota County Road 42 E by Jacob Root, on Flickr

I do recall that most of County Road 42 is designated as part of the National Highway System, but I am not sure when it was given that designation and how it lines up with the construction that resulted in a wide median at this location.

[froggie]

4-laning there was about 30 years before the advent of the NHS system (which was in 1995).

I highly doubt an overpass or flyover was considered here.  First, the only county in Minnesota that ever bothered to design (let alone build) county-route freeways was Hennepin.  Second, this area was nothing but fields and trees until well into the 1970s.

Speculating here, but I feel there are two possible reasons for the wider median:  either a higher design speed on the westbound lanes (which would require a more gradual curve than existed originally), or something to do with drainage, as the area occupied by the strip mall, liquor store, and Giuseppe's was a wetland at the time of 4-lane construction.

It's also worth noting that a ca. 1964 (around or shortly before time of construction) thoroughfare plan for the Twin Cities did not envision CSAH 42 as a freeway or even an expressway.