Minnesota State Highway 68

Minnesota State Highway 68 (MN 68) is a 141.026-mile-long (226.959 km) highway in southwest and south-central Minnesota, which runs from South Dakota Highway 22 at the South Dakota state line near Canby, and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Highway 169 and State Highway 60 in South Bend Township near Mankato.

Trunk Highway 68 marker
Trunk Highway 68
Map
MN 68 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MnDOT
Length141.026 mi[1] (226.959 km)
Existed1920–present
Tourist
routes
Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway
Major junctions
West end SD 22 at Fortier Township,
at Minnesota — South Dakota state line
Major intersections US 75 at Canby

US 59 / MN 23 at Marshall
US 71 at New Avon Township
MN 67 at Morgan
US 14 / MN 4 at Sleepy Eye

US 14 / MN 15 at New Ulm
East end US 169 / MN 60 near Mankato
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountiesYellow Medicine, Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, Brown, Blue Earth
Highway system
  • Minnesota Trunk Highway System
MN 67 US 69

Route description

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State Highway 68 serves as an east–west route in southwest and south-central Minnesota between Canby, Minneota, Marshall, Morgan, Sleepy Eye, New Ulm, and Mankato.

Minneopa State Park is located five miles (8 km) west of Mankato. The park entrance is located on Highway 68 near its intersection with U.S. Highway 169.[2]

Highway 68 has concurrencies with:

History

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Highway

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Trunk Highway 272
LocationEast of Marshall to Morgan
Length36 mi (58 km)
Existed1949–1963
Trunk Highway 93
LocationMorgan to North of Sleepy Eye
Length12 mi (19 km)
Existed1934–1963
Trunk Highway 83
LocationSouth of New Ulm to Mankato
Length25 mi (40 km)
Existed1934–1963

Highway 68 was authorized in 1920 between Canby and Marshall.[3]

Its western terminus was extended to the South Dakota state line in 1934.

In 1963, Highway 68 was expanded easterly between Marshall and Mankato by consolidating former State Highway 272, State Highway 93, and State Highway 83, and re-numbering them 68.[4]

Highway 68 was paved from Marshall to Canby by 1940. Many remaining sections of the present day Highway 68 were still gravel by 1953. The present day route was completely paved by 1960.[4]

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Yellow MedicineFortier Township0.0000.000 
 
SD 22 west – Clear Lake
Western terminus; Continuation into South Dakota
Canby8.92614.365  US 75
LyonMarshall38.65362.206 
 
US 59 north
Western end of US 59 concurrency
39.21463.109 
 
 
 
  US 59 south / MN 19 west
Eastern end of US 59 concurrency; western end of MN 19 concurrency
  MN 23 – Pipestone, Granite Falls
RedwoodWestline Township51.05582.165 
 
MN 19 east – Redwood Falls
Eastern end of MN 19 concurrency
New Avon Township76.321122.827 
 
US 71 south – Windom
Western end of US 71 concurrency
76.820123.630 
 
US 71 north – Redwood Falls
Eastern end of US 71 concurrency
Morgan86.924139.891 
 
MN 67 west – Redwood Falls
Eastern terminus of MN 67
BrownHome Township99.010159.341 
 
MN 4 north – Fairfax
Western end of MN 4 concurrency
Sleepy Eye102.034164.208 
 
 
 
MN 4 south / US 14 west
Eastern end of MN 4 concurrency; western end of US 14 concurrency
New Ulm115.842186.430 
 
 
 
US 14 east / MN 15 north / Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway – Mankato, Winthrop
Eastern end of US 14 concurrency; western end of MN 15 concurrency
Cottonwood Township119.708192.651 
 
MN 15 south – Madelia
Eastern end of MN 15 concurrency
Blue EarthSouth Bend Township141.228227.284   US 169 / MN 60 / Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway – MankatoEastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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KML is from Wikidata
  1. ^ a b "Statewide Logpoint Listing" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  2. ^ Minnesota DNR web page for Minneopa State Park - Link
  3. ^ Minnesota State Legislature (2010). "§ 161.114, Constitutional Trunk Highways". Minnesota Statutes. Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
  4. ^ a b Riner, Steve. "Details of routes 51–75". The Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page. Retrieved October 26, 2010.[self-published source]