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U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 169.
U.S. Highway 169 marker
U.S. Highway 169
Map
U.S. 169 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MnDOT
Length359.523 mi[1] (578.596 km)
Existed1931[2]–present
Tourist
routes		 Great River Road
Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway
Lake Mille Lacs Scenic Byway
Major junctions
South end US 169 in Elmore at the Minnesota–Iowa state line
Major intersections
North end US 53 in Virginia
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountiesFaribault, Blue Earth, Nicollet, Sibley, Le Sueur, Scott, Hennepin, Anoka, Sherburne, Mille Lacs, Crow Wing, Aitkin, Itasca, St. Louis
Highway system
  • Minnesota Trunk Highway System
← MN 165→ MN 169

U.S. Highway 169 (U.S. 169) is a major north–south highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota, connecting the Minnesota River valley with the Twin Cities and the Iron Range. Much of the route is built to expressway or freeway standards.

Route description

[edit]
First reassurance marker in Minnesota north of the Iowa state line
US 169 northbound concurrent with MN 22 and MN 99 in St. Peter
US 169 in Minnetonka, looking north

U.S. 169 enters Minnesota near Elmore as a two-lane, undivided highway, continuing as such through the majority of Blue Earth. Near the northern outskirts of the town, it expands to a four-lane, divided highway, subsequently crossing Interstate Highway 90. Soon after, it reverts to its original two-lane size. Roughly 5 miles southwest of Mankato, U.S. 169 and State Highway 60 merge to a single expressway through Mankato. In North Mankato, Highway 60 moves from a concurrency with U.S. 169 to another one with U.S. 14.

In Mankato and North Mankato, U.S. 169 functions as an arterial highway, passing directly through the cities' downtown area. From Mankato north to Jackson Township, the route remains an expressway, except for the section passing through St. Peter, where U.S. 169 is the main street through town.

55 miles (89 km) of U.S. 169 from St. Peter to I-494 in Bloomington is officially designated the John A. Johnson Memorial Highway. This includes the Bloomington Ferry Bridge between Shakopee and Bloomington. This designation is marked as "Johnson Memorial Drive" on some maps, but not marked as such on directional signs, nor commonly known by this name.

In the Twin Cities area, the route is constructed to freeway standards between State Highway 41 in Jackson Township and 109th Avenue North in Brooklyn Park . The freeway between Interstate 494 and Interstate 694 was originally built by Hennepin County as County Road 18. In 1988, County Road 18 was transferred to the state of Minnesota and became the new alignment for Highway 169 in the Minneapolis area. In exchange, Hennepin County took over maintenance of two other highways that were formerly state routes. In the Minneapolis area, U.S. 169 is often congested, but the freeway passes close to residential neighborhoods in many locations, so any expansion of the freeway would disrupt housing stock in the surrounding area.

From 109th Avenue North to the Mississippi River, U.S. 169 remains an expressway until Anoka, where it becomes a street. It then joins U.S. 10 west to Elk River. Those highways diverge at Babcock Wayside on the Mississippi River.

North of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, U.S. 169 continues as an expressway to Mille Lacs Lake, an important resort area. The highway skirts the western shore of the lake. 74 miles (119 km) of U.S. 169 from Elk River to Garrison is officially designated the POW / MIA Memorial Highway. From Mille Lacs Lake, U.S. 169 continues northward to its junction with U.S. 2 at Grand Rapids. Here, 169 turns northeasterly to reach the cities of the Mesabi Iron Range.

At the eastern end of Grand Rapids, U.S. 169 becomes an expressway and remains such for 8 miles. An additional 1.5 miles, from Taconite to Itasca County Road 7 was completed in 2016. It passes through the cities of Hibbing, Chisholm, and Mountain Iron before reaching U.S. 53 at the city of Virginia. This four-lane stretch of 169 is also known as the Highway 169 Cross Range Expressway, with the highway shifted south between Mountain Iron and Virginia to allow for expansion of the U.S. Steel Minntac iron ore mine. The northern terminus of U.S. 169 is at the city of Virginia.

State Highway 169 begins immediately north of Virginia in Wuori Township; and continues northeast for 49 miles (79 km) to the cities of Tower, Ely, and Winton. State Highway 169 is numbered as an extension of U.S. 169.

U.S. 169 is one of three Minnesota U.S. marked highways to carry the same number as an existing state marked highway within the state. The others being Highways 61 and 65.

Legally, the Minnesota section of U.S. 169 is defined as all or part of Routes 5, 7, 383, 3, 18, and 35 in the Minnesota Statutes §§ 161.114(2) and 161.117(4).[1],[2] The route is not marked with those numbers.

History

[edit]
Exit numbers started appearing in Shakopee in 2016

U.S. 169 was extended into Minnesota c. 1931.[2] The route in Minnesota was paved by 1940.[2]

Previously, U.S. 169 served as the northern terminus of U.S. 53 in Virginia. U.S. 169 then continued north into International Falls. Today, U.S. 53 serves as the terminus of U.S. 169 in Virginia.

U.S. 169, between the junction with State Highway 60 (south of Mankato) and the Twin Cities, was upgraded to at least expressway status over several stages. The freeway section around Mankato and the adjoining expressway sections were completed in the early 1960s, along with bypasses of Le Sueur, Jordan and Belle Plaine.[2]

The U.S. 169 freeway bypass around Shakopee was built in the mid-1990s along a new alignment, which included the newly constructed Bloomington Ferry Bridge. Prior to this realignment, U.S. 169 crossed the Minnesota River from downtown Shakopee where it had been co-signed with State Highway 101. North of the river crossing, U.S. 169 had previously been co-signed with what was then U.S. 212 (Flying Cloud Drive) through Eden Prairie until 1996.

A new U.S. 169 interchange with State Highway 19, near Henderson, was completed in 2002.[2]

An expressway section of Highway 169 through southern Hennepin County was converted to full freeway in 2006, with new interchanges constructed at Pioneer Trail and Anderson Lakes Parkway. At-grade intersections with traffic signals have been removed at the recently constructed Interstate 494 interchange, which was previously a point of frequent congestion.

North of the Twin Cities, Highway 169 has been upgraded to an expressway between Elk River and the southern end of Mille Lacs Lake, with bypasses of Princeton and Milaca built in the late 1980s.

U.S. 169 between Hill City and Grand Rapids has been built to super-2 standards.

The expressway section between Pengilly and the city of Virginia was built in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In 2008, construction began on a new Highway 169 interchange with County Road 81 and 85th Avenue North in Brooklyn Park. This interchange is also known as The Devil's Triangle, or simply as "The Triangle", because of the major traffic congestion during rush hour, especially in the afternoon. Construction was completed on August 11, 2011.

During the flooding of September 2010, flood waters destroyed a 150-foot section of the northbound lanes of Highway 169 between St. Peter and Le Sueur. MnDOT believes, "when the flood waters rose up it found a weak spot in the slope or the dirt bank and got under the grass and started mining under the pavement. Finally, it just sucked all the dirt out and the pavement just dropped into a hole." Traffic was detoured to the southbound lanes of 169 for a month, resulting in a temporary two lane expressway, until the northbound section was repaired.

In November 2010, construction began on a completely redesigned Highway 169 interchange at Interstate 494, where three traffic signals had existed. The new interchange features six roundabouts, new flyover bridges, and two new bridges over I-494 that will carry West 78th Street and Washington Avenue. Major construction began in March 2011. Construction continued in spring 2012 with the completion of reconstructing surrounding roads and remaining ramps. MnDOT completed the entire project in November 2012. The 2010 cost of the construction project was $140 million.[3] [4]

In 2016, exit numbers have started appearing on the Shakopee portion of the freeway section in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area.

Between 2022 and 2024, the section of Highway 169 between U.S. 10 and 197th Ave. in Elk River is being rebuilt as a freeway, with four new interchanges and a replacement of the northbound bridge over Highway 10.[5] In 2023, the cloverleaf interchange at Rockford Rd. in Plymouth was replaced with a folded-diamond interchange and a new, wider bridge to accommodate for both bicyclists and pedestrians.[6]

Future

[edit]

A study to convert U.S. 169 to a freeway between U.S. 10 in Elk River to 277th Avenue north of Zimmerman was completed in late 2009. A complete review of the project by MnDOT will occur in 2011. A complete construction schedule and timeline will then by released by MnDOT. Allocation of funds for the project is currently underway and the only thing holding back from starting the project. The project is expected to cost around $178 Million. In the meantime, the 14 miles between U.S. 10 in Elk River to 277th Avenue north of Zimmerman will be resurfaced during the 2012 construction season. The construction will begin in May 2012.[7]

Major intersections

[edit]
CountyLocationmi[8]kmExitDestinationsNotes
FaribaultElmore0.0000.000
 US 169 south – Algona		Continuation into Iowa
Blue Earth9.59915.448
 CSAH 16 east / CSAH 53 (7th Street)		South end of CSAH 16 overlap; formerly US 16; access to United Hospital District Hospital
10.18916.398
 CSAH 16 west (Leland Parkway) / 1st Street		North end of CSAH 16 overlap; formerly US 16
11.308–
11.365		18.198–
18.290		 I-90 – Fairmont, Albert LeaI-90 exit 119
Winnebago19.59531.535
 MN 109 east – Wells
Blue EarthAmboy28.50645.876
 MN 30 east – Mapleton		Southern end of MN 30 overlap
28.85246.433
 MN 30 west – St. James		Northern end of MN 30 overlap
South Bend Township47.74676.840
 MN 60 west – Lake Crystal, Sioux City		Southern end of MN 60 overlap
49.426–
49.484		79.543–
79.637		–
 CSAH 90 east		Partial interchange; entrances and northbound exit; southbound exit via at-grade left turn
50.65881.526
 MN 68 west / Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway – New Ulm, Campground		At-grade intersection
Mankato52.05783.778—Frontage RoadSouthern end of expressway section; northbound exit and southbound entrance
52.94185.200—Riverfront DriveFormer MN 66
NicolletNorth Mankato52.91985.165—Lookout Drive / Center StreetCenter Street not signed southbound
53.56886.209—North Mankato, Mankato, DowntownNorthern end of expressway section
Mankato–North Mankato line55.65989.574–
 MN 60 east / US 14 / Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway – New Ulm, Waseca		Interchange; northern end of MN 60 overlap
St. Peter64.726104.166– MN 295 – St. Peter Regional Treatment CenterFormer southbound exit, northbound intersection
64.839104.348
 MN 99 west – Nicollet		At-grade intersection; southern end of MN 99 overlap
64.985104.583
 MN 22 south / Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway		At-grade intersection; southern end of MN 22 overlap
65.954106.143

 MN 99 east (Broadway Avenue) / Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway to CSAH 5 – Le Center		At-grade intersection; northern end of MN 99 overlap
67.705108.961
 MN 22 north – Gaylord		At-grade intersection; northern end of MN 22 overlap
SibleyHenderson Township76.194122.622–

 MN 93 south / CSAH 8 west (336th Street) / Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway – Le Sueur		Southern end of MN 93 overlap
77.166124.187
 MN 93 north / Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway – Henderson		At-grade intersection; northern end of MN 93 overlap
Le SueurLe Sueur78.383126.145–
 CSAH 22 south – Le Sueur		Interchange; formerly MN 112
Le Sueur–Scott
county line		Tyrone–Blakeley
township line		83.821134.897– MN 19 – New Prague, Gaylord
ScottBelle Plaine90.714145.990– CSAH 3 (Meridian Street)RIRO interchange
91.855147.826–

 MN 25 north (Main Street) / CSAH 64 east
Jackson Township96.209154.833– CSAH 55 (Delaware Avenue)At-grade intersection; interchange in progress
Jordan98.201158.039

 MN 282 east / CSAH 9 to MN 21		At-grade intersection; to be replaced with an interchange in 2025-2026
99.100159.486–
 MN 21 south – Jordan, New Prague		Partial interchange; MN 21 only signed southbound
Jackson Township103.614166.751—
 CSAH 14 north (150th Street)		RIRO Interchange
105.963170.531106

 MN 41 north / CSAH 78 south – Chaska		Southern end of freeway section, Diverging diamond interchange
Shakopee107.252172.605107

 CSAH 69 (Old Brick Yard Road) / US 169 Bus. north		US 169 Business only signed northbound
108.203174.136108 CSAH 15 (Marystown Road)
109.948176.944110 CSAH 17 (Marschall Road)Access to St. Francis Regional Medical Center and Marschall Road Transit Station
111.691179.749112 CSAH 83 (Canterbury Road)
113.689–
113.749		182.965–
183.061		113 MN 13 / CSAH 21 – BurnsvilleNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only; access to Eagle Creek Park and Ride
114.236–
114.307		183.845–
183.959		114 CSAH 21 to CSAH 18No northbound exit; northbound entrance includes direct entrance ramp from Stagecoach Road
114.636–
115.379		184.489–
185.685		115


 CSAH 101 / US 169 Bus. south to MN 13 – Savage, Shakopee		Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
Minnesota River115.698–
116.128		186.198–
186.890		Bloomington Ferry Bridge; Scott–Hennepin county line
HennepinBloomington116.369187.278117
 CSAH 1 east (Old Shakopee Road) / Riverview Road		Southern end of CSAH 1 overlap
117.121188.488—
 CSAH 1 west (Pioneer Trail)		Northern end of CSAH 1 overlap
118.436190.604—Bloomington Ferry Road, Anderson Lakes Parkway
119.969193.071—Washington Avenue, Marth RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
120.023193.158— I-494 / MN 5I-494 exits 10A-B
Bloomington–Edina line120.801194.410—78th StreetSouthbound exit only
Edina120.971194.684—Valley View Road
Edina–Eden Prairie line122.189–
122.198		196.644–
196.659		—
 US 212 west / MN 62 (Crosstown Highway)
122.784197.602—Londonderry Road, Bren Road
Hopkins–Edina line123.789199.219—5th Street South, Lincoln Drive
Hopkins124.384200.177— CSAH 3 – Downtown Hopkins
125.289201.633— MN 7 – Minneapolis, Excelsior
St. Louis Park125.653202.219—36th StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance only
Minnetonka–St. Louis Park line126.128202.983— CSAH 5 (Minnetonka Boulevard)
126.706203.914—Cedar Lake Road
127.611205.370—16th StreetNorthbound exit and entrance only
St. Louis Park–Golden Valley line128.022206.031— I-394 – MinneapolisI-394 exit 3
Plymouth–Golden Valley line128.417206.667—Betty Crocker Drive, Shelard Parkway
128.690207.106— MN 55 – Minneapolis, Buffalo
129.369208.199—13th Avenue, Plymouth Avenue
Plymouth–Golden Valley–
New Hope tripoint		130.371209.812— CSAH 70 (Medicine Lake Road)
Plymouth–New Hope line131.376211.429—36th Avenue North
132.158212.688— CSAH 9 (Rockford Road)
132.891213.867—49th Avenue North
Maple Grove–Brooklyn Park line133.861215.428— CSAH 10 (Bass Lake Road)
134.654216.705—63rd Avenue North
135.601218.229— I-94 / I-694 / US 52I-94/694 exits 29A-B
136.398219.511— CSAH 130 (Elm Creek Boulevard, Brooklyn Boulevard)
Brooklyn Park137.572221.401— CSAH 81 (Bottineau Boulevard) / CSAH 109 (85th Avenue North)
138.819223.408— CSAH 30 (93rd Avenue North)Northbound exit and southbound entrance
139.328224.227— MN 610
139.808224.999—101st Avenue NorthNorthern end of freeway section
Champlin142.816229.840

 Great River Road (National Route) south / West River Road / Dean Avenue		Southern end of Great River Road overlap
142.900229.975

 CSAH 12 / Great River Road (National Route) north / Dayton Road / Miller Road		Northern end of Great River Road overlap
Mississippi River143.339–
143.535		230.682–
230.997		Anoka–Champlin Mississippi River Bridge
AnokaAnoka144.400232.389224B
 US 10 east / MN 47		Southern end of US 10 overlap; southern end of freeway section; access to Anoka station (Northstar Line)
144.923233.231224AMain Street, Greenhaven RoadNorthern end of freeway section
223Cutters Grove Avenue / Thurston Avenue
Ramsey222 CSAH 57 (Sunfish Lake Boulevard NW)Future interchange to begin construction in 2024-2025 to replace traffic signal
221 CSAH 56 (Ramsey Boulevard NW)Future interchange to begin construction in 2024-2025 to replace traffic signal
220 CSAH 83 (Armstrong Boulevard NW)Access to Ramsey station (Northstar Line)
SherburneElk River155.703250.580—

 US 10 west / MN 101 south – Elk River, Rogers		Northern end of US 10 overlap
156.642252.091– CSAH 12 (Main Street)Interchange opened in 2024; former at-grade intersection with traffic lights
157.261253.087–School Street / Elk Hills DriveInterchange opened in 2023; former at-grade intersection with traffic lights
157.991254.262–Jackson Street / 193rd AvenueInterchange opened in 2023; former at-grade intersection with traffic lights
158.491255.067–197th AvenueSouthbound exit and northbound entrance opened in 2022; former at-grade intersection with traffic lights
159.349256.447— CSAH 33Interchange
Baldwin Township170.726274.757— CSAH 9Interchange
Princeton174.343280.578—
 CSAH 29 north (Rum River Drive)		Interchange; access to M Health Fairview Northland Medical Center
Mille Lacs176.205283.574— MN 95 – St. Cloud, PrincetonInterchange
177.423285.535—
 CSAH 29 south (Rum River Drive)		Interchange
Milaca189.035304.222— MN 23 – MilacaInterchange
Onamia211.156339.823
 MN 27 west – Pierz		Southern end of MN 27 overlap; access to Onamia Hospital
Cove213.745343.989
 MN 27 east / Lake Mille Lacs Scenic Byway – Wahkon, Isle		Northern end of MN 27 overlap
Crow WingGarrison231.395372.394

 MN 18 west to MN 6 – Deerwood, Brainerd		Southern end of MN 18 overlap
AitkinHazelton Township236.536380.668
 MN 18 east / Lake Mille Lacs Scenic Byway – Malmo		Northern end of MN 18 overlap
Aitkin249.648401.770
 MN 47 south – Malmo		Access to Aitkin Hospital
250.159402.592
 MN 210 west – Crosby, Brainerd		Southern end of MN 210 overlap
Hassman258.066415.317
 MN 210 east – McGregor, Duluth		Northern end of MN 210 overlap
Morrison Township261.361420.620

 CSAH 21 / Great River Road (National Route) south		Southern end of Great River Road overlap
262.685422.751

 CSAH 10 / Great River Road (National Route) north		Northern end of Great River Road overlap
Hill City284.599458.018 MN 200 – Remer, Jacobson
ItascaGrand Rapids302.803487.314
 US 2 west (NW 4th Street) – Bemidji		Southern end of US 2 overlap
303.234488.008
 US 2 east – Duluth		Northern end of US 2 overlap
Pengilly321.160516.857
 MN 65 south		Southern end of MN 65 overlap
Nashwauk323.814521.128
 MN 65 north – Littlefork		Northern end of MN 65 overlap
St. LouisHibbing334.057537.613
 MN 73 south – Floodwood
335.055539.219–
 1st Avenue (US 169 Bus.)
335.763540.358
 MN 37 east (40th Street) – Eveleth
337.698543.472
 Howard Street (US 169 Bus.)
Chisholm342.391551.025–
 MN 73 north – Chisholm		Northern end of MN 73 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance
Mountain Iron356.922574.410– CR 102
Virginia359.462578.498 US 53 – Duluth, International FallsInterchange; national northern end of US 169; access to Virginia Hospital
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
KML file (edit • help)
Template:Attached KML/U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota
KML is from Wikidata
  1. ^ "Trunk Highway Log Point Listing — Construction District 1" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. August 14, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e Riner, Steve. "Details of routes 152–218". The Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page. Retrieved November 21, 2010.[self-published source]
  3. ^ "Street construction: Highway 169 (TH169) Road Improvements". www.ci.bloomington.mn.us. Archived from the original on 2006-09-23.
  4. ^ http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/169/ [dead link‍]
  5. ^ "169 Redefine—Elk River freeway construction - MnDOT".
  6. ^ "Hwy 169 Plymouth to New Hope project - MnDOT".
  7. ^ http://projects.dot.state.mn.us/srf/169elkriver/index.html [dead link‍]
  8. ^ Minnesota Department of Transportation. "Statewide Trunk Logpoint Listing" (PDF). St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Transportation. pp. 93, 203–226. Retrieved October 22, 2015.


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