Route Development
Timeline:
September, 1926 - Initial Conditions: U.S. 61 is first
marked along State Highway 3 from St. Paul to the Wisconsin border at
the Mississippi River between La Crescent and La Crosse. The road from
the Winona County line to 4th Street (then Union) in La Crescent is
still gravel, graded in 1921. The remainder of the road through La Crescent
to Wisconsin is concrete, 18 to 22 feet wide, paved in 1925. The road
to the east of La Crescent is marked as four separate routes: U.S. 61,
U.S. 16, MN 3, and MN 9. 1926 data show the border crossing at La Crosse
to be the second busiest entry point into Minnesota. Work begins in
the fall on a new grade out of the north side of La Crescent towards
the Winona County line to eliminate a dangerous curve on the old road.
1927 - Realignment / First Paving: A new highway is
completed and paved with 18 feet of concrete from the Winona County
line to 4th Street in La Crescent. The new grade features a realignment
at the north end of La Crescent to eliminate a dangerous curve on the
old road. U.S. 61 is now fully paved in Houston County.
1932 - Bridge Replacement / Realignment: The bridge
over the west channel of the Mississippi River at the Wisconsin State
Line is replaced. Because the new bridge is constructed just to the
north of previous structure, the highway has to be realigned slightly
to meet it. The old concrete approach is abandoned, and later removed
in 1943 for the construction of a state line marker. The old bridge
had become unsafe for heavy truck traffic. A weight restriction had
to be personally imposed by a state patrolman (from the Minnesota Highway
News).
1933: U.S. Highway 14 is extended south from Winona
to La Crosse, duplexed with U.S. 61 and State Highway 3. There are now
5 routes, three U.S. and two state, on the highway from La Crescent
to Wisconsin.
1934: State Highways 3 and 9 are retired due to redundancy
with U.S. Highways 61 and 16.
1941 - Divided Upgrade/ Realignment: A major project
is completed to upgrade U.S. 61 into a four-lane highway from the Wisconsin
State line through the town of La Crescent. Only one small section of
the old two-lane road is reused as part of the westbound lane east of
town for a half mile. Two other sections of the old road are left behind
in La Crescent as service drives (now Chestnut St). The four lane section
merges back onto the concrete pavement constructed in 1927 just north
of town. The new road eliminates an at-grade railroad crossing on the
southeast side of La Crescent via an overpass. A divided junction with
U.S. 16 is also constructed. Several service drives and a scenic overlook
are constructed in town. This project was hampered by a labor strike
and the explosive sabotage of a crane used in the construction.
1943: A rustic state line marker is constructed at
the west end of the Interstate bridge in a small roadside park.
1947: The section of concrete pavement (from 1925)
still being used on the westbound lane east of La Crescent is paved
over.
1952: The divided highway south of 4th Street through
La Crescent to Wisconsin has its old bituminous pavement replaced by
concrete. A concrete center island is also added east of town. The junction
with U.S. 16 is revised. The section of Chestnut Street on the southeast
side of town is given a widened concrete pavement to replace the old
concrete pavement from 1925.
1953: A traffic control signal system is installed
at the junction with U.S. 16.
1962: The junction with U.S. 16 at La Crescent is
modernized. New stoplights and left turn lanes are added. The service
drives near the junction are also reconstructed.
1964 - Divided Upgrade: Reconstruction and four-lane
upgrade north from La Crescent to Interstate 90 in Winona County, replacing
the old two-lane road constructed in 1927. New service drives are also
constructed on the north side of town.
1978: The highway east of La Crescent to the Wisconsin
State Line is reconstructed. The road's grade is widened to provide
a greater separation of the east and west-bound lanes and a wider concrete
median is added.
~1979: U.S. Highway 16 is retired in Minnesota due
to the completion of Interstate 90. The remaining eastern segment of
U.S. Highway 16 through Mower, Fillmore, and Houston Counties becomes
State Highway 16.
1992-1993: The interstate bridge constructed in 1932
over the west channel of the Mississippi River is replaced by two new
spans, allowing for four lanes across the river to Wisconsin. Although
there is no record of the construction on the project log, it appears
that the highway at the west end of the bridge was also reconstructed,
expanding it fully to four lanes (the old bridge was only two lanes
wide, forcing the road to narrow).
2007 - Reconstruction: Major reconstruction of the
highways in La Crescent. The junction of U.S. 61/U.S. 14 with State
Highway 16 is reconfigured into a four-way intersection and moved a
bit to the northeast to allow for direct access to 3rd Street. The highway
entering La Crescent from the east (U.S. 61/U.S. 14/MN 16) is realigned
slightly to the north onto a new bridge over Chestnut Street and the
railroad tracks, replacing the old overpass constructed in 1941. The
service drives in the vicinity of the junction are reconfigured. Chestnut
Street (original U.S. 61) south of the modern highway is reconstructed.
Drainage ponds (named Wishbone Pond on project plans) are constructed
between the modern highway and Chestnut Street.
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Control Section Data:
Length: 3.471 Miles
Legal Authorization: Constitutional Route 3
Fully Paved By: 1927
Paving/ Initial Development History:
- 1925: Wisconsin State Line to the north side of La Crescent.
- 1927: La Crescent to the Winona County Line.
Divided Sections: Entire Length
Divided Upgrade History:
- 1941: Mississippi River Bridge to the north side of La Crescent.
- 1964: La Crescent to the Winona County Line.
- 1993: At the Wisconsin State Line (bridge upgrade).
Other Designations:
- Great River Road
- Disabled American Veterans Highway
NHS: Entire Length
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Junctions and Duplexes:
Current Junctions and Duplexes:
U.S. Highway 14:
1933-Present: Duplex.
State Highway 16:
~1979-Present: Duplex, east from the junction at La Crescent to the
Wisconsin state line (eastern terminus). Replacement designation for
U.S. 16 upon its retirement in Minnesota. Connects with Wisconsin State
Highway 16 at the state line. Junction reconstructed and moved slightly
to the northeast in 2007.
Historic Junctions and Duplexes:
U.S. Highway 16:
1941~1979: Duplex, east from the junction at La Crescent to the Wisconsin
state line. U.S. 16 was retired in Minnesota and Wisconsin in about
1979 and replaced by State Highway 16. The junction was revised twice:
once in 1952, and again in 1962.
1926-1941: Duplex, east from the junction in La Crescent at Main (Mississippi
Ave) and Chestnut (then Mercer) Streets to the Wisconsin State Line.
State Highway 3:
1926-1934: Duplex. State Highway 3 is retired on May 4, 1934 due to
redundancy with U.S. 61.
State Highway 9:
1926-1934: Duplex, east from the junction in La Crescent at Main (Mississippi
Ave) and Chestnut (then Mercer) Streets to the Wisconsin State Line.
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Surviving Old Alignments:
Chestnut Street, La Crescent (1) : Service drive on
the west side of the highway in La Crescent, from 1st Street to just
north of 3rd Street. Bypassed in 1941. Original concrete pavement survives.
Chestnut Street, La Crescent (2): South and east of
the modern highway in La Crescent, just northeast of the junction with
Hwy. 16. From modern U.S. 61/U.S. 14 to the first curve near the highway
overpass. Bypassed in 1941. Reconstructed in 1952, and more dramatically
in 2007/08.
Shore Acres Road: East of La Crescent, from the intersection
with modern U.S. 61 to the first curve. Bypassed in 1941. Repaved.
Entrance Drive to the Sportsman's Landing: Accessible
from modern U.S. 61 just west of the Mississippi River. Bypassed in
1941. Original concrete pavement still in use.
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The U.S. Highway 61 Minnesota Reference Guide
