U.S. Route 16 in Minnesota

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U.S. Highway 16

Map
US 16 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MnDOT
Length286 mi (460 km)
Existed1926–c. 1978
Major junctions
West end US 16 near Manley
Major intersections
East end US 14 / US 16 / US 61 at La Crosse, Wis.
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountiesRock, Nobles, Jackson, Martin, Faribault, Freeborn, Mower, Fillmore, Houston
Highway system
  • Minnesota Trunk Highway System
MN 15 MN 16

Route description

US 16 spanned the entire southern tier of counties in Minnesota. It passed through three distinct geological regions over its journey. Buffalo Ridge in the southwestern part of the state is part of the Coteau des Prairies. In south-central Minnesota is the flat Minnesota River basin, which includes the Blue Earth River tributary. In the southeastern part of the state is the Driftless Area, which was untouched by glaciation during the last ice age.

US 16 entered Minnesota near Manley and intersected Trunk Highway 23 (MN 73). From there, it headed to the east-northeast toward Luverne where it met US 75. It then headed to the east through Magnolia and crossed MN 91 at Adrian. At Worthington was the convergence of four numbered highways: US 16, US 59, MN 60, and MN 266. On the NoblesJackson county line MN 264 served as a connection to Round Lake. Farther east, the highway intersected MN 86 south of Lakefield. A few miles later, in Jackson, US 16 briefly overlapped US 71. It then passed through Alpha and had a brief concurrency with MN 4 near Sherburn before it met MN 263 at Welcome.[1][2]

US 16 continued east through Fairmont, where it had a very short concurrency with MN 15. At Imogene was a short spur route that led to Granada. Later, it passed through Blue Earth and intersected US 169. It then met consecutively numbered highways: MN 254 and MN 253, both of which headed south from US 16. A short while later, MN 22 overlapped the highway briefly. As the highway approached Albert Lea, it met MN 109 near Alden. In western Albert Lea, it met US 69, which overlapped US 16 to its northern end in the downtown area. There, it overlapped US 65 for a short while. The highway passed through a couple small towns before it entered Austin. On the western side of town, it met MN 105 and then overlapped US 218 through the downtown area. East of town, it crossed MN 56.[1][2]

Between Elkton and Dexter, the highway curved to the northeast before it turned back to the east. It passed through Grand Meadow and then intersected and overlapped US 63 until an intersection with MN 74 in Spring Valley. It then met MN 80 at Wykoff. At Preston, it followed US 52 to the southeast and then turned northeast when the highways separated. Soon after in Lanesboro, it met MN 250. In Rushford and Houston, the highway overlapped MN 43 and MN 76, respectively. US 16 then intersected MN 44 in Hokah and MN 26 between there are La Crescent. In La Crescent, it met up with US 14 / US 61 and the three U.S. Highways crossed the Mississippi River into La Crosse, Wisconsin.[1][2]

History

Major intersections

This junction list shows intersections along U.S. Highway 16 before the construction of Interstate 90

CountyLocationmi[a][b]kmDestinationsNotes
RockBeaver Creek Township0.000.00
US 16 west – Sioux Falls
Continuation into South Dakota
Manley1.181.90
MN 23 north – Pipestone
Luverne13.4121.58 US 75 – Pipestone, Sioux City
NoblesAdrian27.2743.89 MN 91 – Lismore, Ellsworth
Worthington43.3769.80
MN 266 north – Reading, Wilmont
44.3671.39
US 59 north – Slayton
Western end of US 59 overlap
45.0972.57
MN 60 east – Windom
Western end of MN 60 overlap
45.7373.60

US 59 south / MN 60 west – Sioux City
Eastern end of US 59 and MN 60 overlaps
NoblesJackson
county line
LorainEwington
township line
51.0982.22
MN 264 south – Round Lake
JacksonHunter Township65.13104.82 MN 86 – Lakefield, Spirit Lake
Jackson74.18119.38
US 71 south – Spirit Lake
Western end of US 71 overlap
Des Moines Township76.59123.26
US 71 north – Windom
Eastern end of US 71 overlap
MartinJay Township87.01140.03
MN 4 south – Dunnell, Estherville
Western end of MN 4 overlap
Sherburn89.39143.86
MN 4 north – St. James
Eastern end of MN 4 overlap
Welcome95.22153.24
MN 263 south – Ceylon
Fairmont103.80167.05 MN 15 – Madelia, Armstrong
Pleasant Prairie Township108.75175.02
MN 262 north – Granada
FaribaultBlue Earth120.58194.05
US 169 north – Mankato
Western end of US 169 overlap
122.14196.57
US 169 south – Fort Dodge
Eastern end of US 169 overlap
Emerald Township130.47209.97
MN 254 south – Frost
Brush Creek Township136.47219.63
MN 253 south – Bricelyn
Foster Township140.56226.21
MN 22 north – Wells
Western end of MN 22 overlap
141.56227.82
MN 22 south – Kiester
Eastern end of MN 22 overlap
FreebornAlden Township147.11236.75
MN 109 west – Wells
Albert Lea154.38248.45

US 69 south / MN 13 north – Waseca, Forest City
Western end of US 69 overlap
155.54250.32

US 65 south / US 69 ends – Northwood
Eastern end of US 69 overlap; western end of US 65 overlap
Albert Lea Township156.36251.64
US 65 north – Owatonna
Eastern end of US 65 overlap
MowerAustin174.19280.33
MN 105 south
174.70281.15
US 218 north – Owatonna
Western end of US 218 overlap
175.57282.55
US 218 south – Osage
Eastern end of US 218 overlap
WindomRed Rock
township line
180.28290.13 MN 56 – Brownsdale, Rose Creek
Frankford Township204.12328.50
US 63 north – Rochester
Western end of US 63 overlap
FillmoreSpring Valley209.26336.77

US 63 south / MN 74 north – Chatfield, Waterloo
Eastern end of US 63 overlap
Fillmore Township215.54346.88 MN 80 – Wykoff, Fountain
Fountain Township224.61361.47
US 52 north – Rochester
Western end of US 52 overlap
Preston Township228.15367.17
US 52 south – Decorah
Eastern end of US 52 overlap
Lanesboro233.47375.73
MN 250 north
Rushford251.48404.72
MN 43 north – Winona
Western end of MN 43 overlap
Rushford Village252.03405.60
MN 43 south – Mabel
Eastern end of MN 43 overlap
HoustonHouston263.05423.34
MN 76 north – Witoka
Western end of MN 76 overlap
Houston Township263.92424.74
MN 76 south – Caledonia
Eastern end of MN 76 overlap
Hokah274.95442.49
MN 44 west – Caledonia
La Crescent Township278.16447.66
MN 26 south – New Albin
La Crescent280.61451.60

US 14 west / US 61 north – Winona
Western end of US 14 / US 61 overlap
Mississippi River
West Channel
282.39454.46Minnesota–Wisconsin state line



US 14 east / US 16 east / US 61 south – La Crosse
Continuation into Wisconsin
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

  1. ^ Routing was determined the comparison of the 1959 Minnesota state highway map with modern Minnesota Department of Transportation county maps.[2][3]
  2. ^ Length was determined by using logpoint data from Minnesota Department of Transportation.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Google (March 20, 2022). "U.S. Route 16 in Minnesota" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Minnesota Department of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1959). Official Road Map of Minnesota Showing the State Highway System and Main Secondary Roads (Map). 1:760,320. St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Highways. OCLC 5673160, 80405240, 52124678. Retrieved June 26, 2018 – via Minnesota Digital Library.
  3. ^ Length "County Maps". Minnesota Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  4. ^ "Logpoint Listings". Minnesota Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  5. ^ Minnesota Department of Transportation. "Statewide Trunk Logpoint Listing" (PDF). St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 12, 2018.

External links