Minnesota State Highway 16

Trunk Highway 16
Route information
Maintained by Mn/DOT
Length: 87.671 mi[2] (141.093 km)
Existed: 1980[1] – present
Major junctions
West end: I-90 at Dexter
  U.S. 63 at Spring Valley
MN 80 near Wykoff
U.S. 52 at Preston
MN 250 at Lanesboro
MN 43 at Rushford
MN 76 at Houston
MN 44 at Hokah
MN 26 at La Crescent Township
East end: U.S. 14 / U.S. 61 at La Crescent
Location
Counties: Mower, Fillmore, Houston
Highway system

Minnesota Trunk Highways
Interstate • U.S. • State
Inter-County • County roads • Legislative routes

← MN 15 MN 18 →

Minnesota State Highway 16 is a 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 its intersection with U.S. Highways 14 and 61 in La Crescent.[2]

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]

Highway 16 is 88 miles (142 km) in length.

Contents

Route description

State Highway 16 serves as an east–west route in southeast Minnesota between Dexter, Spring Valley, Preston, Rushford, Houston, and La Crescent. Highway 16 parallels Interstate 90 throughout its route in southeast Minnesota.

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.

The eastern terminus for Highway 16 is its junction with U.S. Highways 14 and 61 in La Crescent.

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

This interchange once had a loop from Westbound Highway 16 to Westbound I-90, that looked like this:

History

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.

Until 2008, the highway was concurrent with U.S. 14 / 61 for one mile through La Crescent. 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

Mileposts are retained from old U.S. 16.

County Location Mile[2] Destinations Notes
Mower
 Dexter 199.005 I-90  
199.178 CR 7  
Grand Meadow 205.661 CR 8  
Frankford Township 208.722 CR 14  
210.246 US 63 West end of US 63 concurrency
Fillmore
 Spring Valley 215.436 US 63 south, CR 1 north East end of US 63 concurrency
Fillmore Township 221.833 MN 80 north, CR 5 south  
Fountain Township 231.020 US 52 West end of US 52 concurrency
Preston Township 234.226 US 52 East end of US 52 concurrency
Lanesboro 239.212 CR 21  
239.619 MN 250  
Peterson 253.657 CR 25  
Rushford 257.876 MN 43 North end of MN 43 concurrency
Rushford Village 258.429 MN 43 South end of MN 43 concurrency
Houston
 Houston 269.622 MN 76 West end of MN 76 concurrency
Houston Township 270.509 MN 76 East end of MN 76 concurrency
Hokah 282.689 MN 44  
La Crescent Township 285.910 MN 26  
La Crescent 288.407 US 14 / US 61  
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
     Concurrency terminus •      Closed/Former •      Incomplete access •      Unopened

References

  1. ^ a b Riner, Steve. "Details of Routes 1-25". The Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page. http://www.steve-riner.com/mnhighways/r1-25.htm#16. Retrieved 2006-03-12. 
  2. ^ a b c "Statewide Trunk Logpoint Listing" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadway/data/reports/logpoint/statelpt.pdf. Retrieved December 22, 2011. 
  3. ^ Highways and Gas Stations - MN State Highway 16 page