Minnesota State Highway 16

Minnesota State Highway 16 (MN 16) is an 87.671-mile-long (141.093 km) two-lane highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate Highway 90 in Dexter and continues east to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line concurrent with U.S. Highways 14 and 61 outside La Crescent just west of La Crosse, Wisconsin.[2]

Trunk Highway 16 marker
Trunk Highway 16
Map
MN 16 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MnDOT
Length87.671 mi[2] (141.093 km)
Existed1980[1]–present
Tourist
routes
Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway
Great River Road
Major junctions
West end I-90 at Dexter
Major intersections
East end US 14 / US 61 / WIS 16 at La Crescent
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountiesMower, Fillmore, Houston
Highway system
  • Minnesota Trunk Highway System
MN 15 MN 18

The route was designated as a National Scenic Byway in 2003 as the Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway. The roadway follows the route of old U.S. Highway 16.[3]

Route description

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The La Crosse West Channel Bridge carrying US Route 14, US Route 61, Minnesota State Highway 16, and Wisconsin State Highway 16 across the Mississippi River between La Crescent, Minnesota, and La Crosse, Wisconsin. This is the river's West Channel.

Minnesota Trunk Highway 16 serves as the scenic east–west route in southeast Minnesota. The national scenic byway links together Dexter, Grand Meadow, Spring Valley, Preston, Lanesboro, Rushford Village, Peterson, Rushford, Houston, Hokah, and La Crescent. Highway 16 parallels Interstate 90 throughout its route and allows travelers the opportunity to experience Minnesota's Driftless Area.

The route passes through the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest in Fillmore and Houston counties.

Forestville Mystery Cave State Park is located near Highway 16 in Fillmore County. The park is located between Spring Valley and Preston. Further east, the Inspiration Point Wayside Rest is a rest stop outside Lanesboro that overlooks the Root River Valley.

The eastern terminus for Highway 16 is the Wisconsin state line at the Mississippi River outside La Crescent, concurrent with U.S. Highways 14 and 61.

The western terminus for the route is its interchange with Interstate 90 in Dexter.

History

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U.S. Highway 16
LocationManleyLa Crescent
Existed1926–1980
HistoryMostly replaced by Interstate 90

State Highway 16 was designated in 1980. The route was originally part of old U.S. Highway 16 from 1926 to 1980.

U.S. 16 was mostly replaced by Interstate Highway 90 within Minnesota.

State Highway 16 from Dexter to La Crescent is the only remaining section of this former U.S. route that exists as a trunk highway separate from Interstate 90.

After crossing the Mississippi River Bridge and the Wisconsin state line, old U.S. 16 continues on as Wisconsin Highway 16.[1]

The only section of U.S. Highway 16 that remains in the present day is the east–west route between Rapid City, South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

Major intersections

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MN 16 & 26 Junction
 
MN-43 and MN-16 junction in Rushford
CountyLocationmi[2]kmDestinationsNotes
MowerDexter0.000–
0.202
0.000–
0.325
 
 
  CSAH 7 north / I-90 – Austin, Rochester
Western terminus; western end of CSAH 7 overlap; I-90 exit 193; road continues north as CSAH 7
0.2860.460 
 
CSAH 7 south (670 Avenue) – Elkton
Eastern end of CSAH 7 overlap
Frankford Township11.18217.996 
 
US 63 north (Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Highway) – Stewartville
Western end of US 63 overlap
FillmoreSpring Valley16.32726.276 
 
  US 63 south / CSAH 1 – Chester IA
Eastern end of US 63 overlap; CSAH 1 formerly MN 74
Fillmore Township22.60236.374 
 
MN 80 north – Wykoff
Fountain Township31.67550.976 
 
US 52 north – Chatfield
Western end of US 52 overlap
Preston Township35.21056.665 
 
US 52 south (Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Highway) – Harmony
Eastern end of US 52 overlap
Lanesboro40.53465.233  MN 250 – Root River State Trail
Rushford58.54494.217 
 
MN 43 north – Root River State Trail
Western end of MN 43 overlap
Rushford Village59.09295.099 
 
MN 43 south – Mabel
Eastern end of MN 43 overlap
HoustonHouston70.112112.834 
 
MN 76 north (Grant Street)
Western end of MN 76 overlap
Houston Township70.981114.233 
 
MN 76 south – Caledonia
Eastern end of MN 76 overlap
Hokah82.024132.005 
 
MN 44 west – Caledonia
La Crescent Township85.222137.152 
 
  MN 26 south / Great River Road – Brownsville
Western end of Great River Road overlap
La Crescent87.671141.093 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  US 14 west / US 61 north / I-90 Alt. west / Great River Road north / CSAH 6 – Winona
Western end of US 14/US 61/I-90 Alt. overlap; eastern end of Great River Road overlap
Mississippi River89.451143.957La Crosse West Channel Bridge
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alt. I-90 / US 14 east / WIS 16 east / US 61 south – La Crosse
Continuation into La Crosse, Wisconsin
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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KML is from Wikidata
  1. ^ a b Riner, Steve. "Details of Routes 1-25". The Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page. Retrieved March 12, 2006.[self-published source?]
  2. ^ a b c Minnesota Department of Transportation. "Statewide Trunk Logpoint Listing" (PDF). St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  3. ^ Highways and Gas Stations - MN State Highway 16 page Archived March 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine