Route Development
Timeline:
September, 1926 - Initial Conditions: U.S. Highway
61 is first marked along State Highway 3 between St. Paul and the Wisconsin
state line at La Crosse. U.S. 61 originally enters Red Wing from the
east via 7th and Plum Streets. Plum Street between 7th and 4th Streets
had been paved with concrete as part of the project to pave the highway
between Red Wing and Lake City in 1924. The Department of Highways only
paved the middle 18 feet - the city of Red Wing paved the remainder
of the width. The rest of Plum Street between 4th and Main, as well
as Main Street from Plum St to East Ave is paved with wood blocks on
top of concrete, paved at an unknown date. Main Street west of East
Avenue and the road out of Red Wing as far west as the future junction
with State Highway 19 had been paved with concrete in a project completed
in 1920. This paving had included a center island on Main Street between
Cedar and Franklin Streets, with two 18 foot wide driving lanes on each
side. The concrete pavement outside of downtown Red Wing was 18 feet
wide. The rest of the road west of the junction with future Highway
19 is gravel, last graded in 1919 and 1920. This road followed what
are now Cannon Bottom and Collischan Roads through the Cannon River
Valley. Three concrete bridges west of Red Wing were constructed as
part of the 1920 project. The bridges over the two channels of the Cannon
River were built separately. The metal truss bridge over the south channel
(#1324) was constructed in 1915. The concrete bridge over the north
channel (#3481) was constructed in 1921. These two bridges still survive
today.
1927 - First Paving: The gravel portion of the highway
west of the future junction with State Highway 19 is oil treated and
guard rails are installed.
1930-32 - Realignment / Reconstruction / First Paving (Concrete):
A new modern highway is constructed west from the future junction with
State Highway 19 to the Dakota County Line and paved with concrete,
20 feet wide, replacing the old road in use since by U.S. 61 since 1926.
Grading is complete from the Dakota County Line to the future junction
with State Hwy. 316 in 1930. The rest of the grading is completed in
1931. The mile from future Hwy. 316 to the Dakota County line is paved
in 1931, while the rest of the new road is given a temporary oil treated
gravel surface. Final concrete paving is completed in 1932. Construction
includes a new alignment through the Cannon River Valley, bypassing
Cannon Bottom and Collischan Roads and at least one at-grade rail crossing.
The Cannon River's channels are realigned, and two new bridges are constructed.
The east end of the new pavement at the future junction with Hwy. 19
is not aligned with the old concrete pavement constructed in 1920 into
Red Wing. A small temporary jog, paved with oil treated gravel, is constructed
between the ends of the two pavements.
May 4, 1934: State Highway 3 is retired in Goodhue
County due to redundancy with U.S. 61. State Hwy. 58 is temporary extended
north on Plum Street to Main, cosigned with U.S. 61, as the route to
the old wagon bridge across the Mississippi to Wisconsin.
1935: U.S. 63 is first marked in Minnesota. U.S. 63
duplexes with U.S. 61 between Lake City and Red Wing, following U. S.
61 as far north as the intersection of Plum and Main, where it replaces
State Hwy. 58 as the route to the wagon bridge.
1936: A series of dams and flumes are constructed
along the south side of the road on the west hill out of the Cannon
River Valley, generally between the modern jct's. with Co. Rd's. 18
and 46.
1939 - Reconstruction / Realignment: A new highway
ascending the hill west from modern County Road 53 at Spring Creek to
the junction with Highway 19 is constructed to replace part of the outdated
concrete highway constructed in 1920. The new road is paved with concrete
pavement, 20 feet wide, aligned to meet the pavement constructed in
1932 through the Cannon River Valley (see history above). The new road
generally follows the old alignment, but is much straighter with fewer
and more gradual curves. Only one section of the old road survives the
reconstruction on top of the hill west of Red Wing as a roadside parking
area and entrance drive to a cemetery, now Cady Street. The rest of
the old road is obliterated. The construction includes a new bridge
over Spring Creek just west of town (the old bridge is demolished).
Some of the old pavement is reused as rip-rap on the slopes on the sides
of the highway at Spring Creek.
The wood block on Main and Plum Streets is also removed and replaced
by a new concrete surface on top of the old base.
1948: Construction begins on a new alignment for U.S.
61 near Hay Creek on the west side of Red Wing. The work is grading
only, creating a new road bed on a fill nearly 40 feet above the lowlands.
1951-1953 - Divided Upgrade / Realignment: A major
project in undertaken to construct a new four lane alignment on the
west side of Red Wing from Cedar Street to modern County Rd. 53 (just
east of Spring Creek), bypassing the old alignment on what is now Old
West Main Street. The project also includes the reconstruction of Main
Street from Cedar Street to East Avenue. The concrete pavement on the
surviving bypassed section of Old West Main Street is paved over with
a new bituminous surface in 1951. Grading is completed in 1952, with
one of the lanes paved with a temporary bituminous surface. Paving of
the new highway with concrete is completed in 1953. Most of the new
road is four lanes of traffic separated by a narrow concrete median.
The road widens out into a four-lane divided highway on the west end
of the project in what is now the Tyler Road retail area. The old center
island constructed in 1920 on Main Street between Cedar and Franklin
Streets is removed, and a new widened concrete pavement is placed on
top of the old surface, allowing for four lanes of traffic with a colored
strip of concrete down the middle and a parking lane on both sides (the
old pavement is removed between Dakota St and East Ave). The construction
includes a series of structures in the Hay Creek area over the creek
and the various railroad tracks, including two bridges and a tunnel.
A pedestrian tunnel is constructed under the highway at Buchanan Street.
Service drives are constructed on both sides of the highway west of
Hay Creek (part of the old road is incorporated into the north frontage
road west of Red Wing Ave).
1954: Finishing touches are applied to the new and
improved four lane highway at Red Wing, including a lighting system,
plantings, and guardrails. Traffic signals are installed on Plum Street
at 4th and 7th Streets (the junction with State Hwy. 58).
1962: Traffic signals are installed on Main Street
in downtown Red Wing at East/West Ave and Bush Street.
1965: Widening and repaving of the concrete highway
west from the bridge over the main channel of the Cannon River to the
top of the hill on the west side of the Cannon River valley. A concrete
truck climbing lane is constructed on the uphill portion of the road.
The rest of the old concrete is paved over with a widened 24 foot bituminous
driving surface.
The old concrete pavement (from 1939) on Main Street between East Avenue
and Plum Street is paved over with new blacktop. A traffic signal is
added at the intersection of Main and Plum Streets.
1968: The old concrete pavement from the Dakota County
Line to the hill into the Cannon River Valley is paved over with a new
bituminous surface and gravel shoulders are added.
1971: Widening of the highway to provide a bypass
lane for southbound traffic on the curve at the junction with what is
now County Road 31 near the top of the hill on the west side of the
Cannon River Valley.
1974/75: Intersection improvements along the 4-lane
highway through Red Wing, including new turn lanes, and the revision
of the junction with Old West Main Street. Traffic signals are added
at Tyler Road and at Old West Main Street.
1976 - Divided Upgrade / Reconstruction: The west
end of the divided highway in Red Wing is extended slightly to the west,
moving the transition from 4 to 2 lanes from the east side of the the
junction with County Road 53 to the west side of the junction at the
east end of the bridge over Spring Creek.
1980: Pavement widening on the east/west section of
U.S. 61 on the hill west of the Cannon River valley between the jct.
with Hwy. 316 and the jct. with modern Co Rd. 19. The driving surface
is widened from 20 to 24 feet. Turn lanes and bypass lanes are added
at the junctions with Hwy. 316 and County Road 7.
1983 - Divided Upgrade / Reconstruction: Extension
and reconstruction of the four-lane highway at Red Wing. A new four-lane
divided highway is constructed west from the area near Spring Creek
and County Rd. 53 (starting at Carol Lane), up the hill to just west
of the junction with State Hwy. 19 (the old 2-lane concrete highway
constructed in 1939 is destroyed). The bridge (from 1939) over Spring
Creek is replaced by a new double span (one for each lane). Work also
includes the reconstruction of a section of the four-lane road constructed
in 1953 west from the bridge over Hay Creek to the entrance to the service
drives in the Tyler Road retail area (at McDonalds). The bridge over
the now abandoned rail grade on the west side of the Hay Creek lowlands
is removed and the gap in the road is filled in. New concrete medians
are installed, and the west entrance to Old West Main Street is closed.
Other improvements as part of the project include the paving over of
the old concrete in the flat area near Tyler Road and the addition of
paved shoulders between Hay Creek and the east intersection with Old
West Main Street. Traffic signals are installed at the junction with
County Road 1 (Bench St).
1985 - Reconstruction / Bridge Replacement: Reconstruction
and bridge replacement in the Cannon River bottoms. The bridge over
the south channel of the Cannon River (from 1931) is replaced by a new
structure. A new roadway is constructed from just west of Cannon Bottom
Road to the east end of the old bridge over the main channel. The new
road is aligned just to the north of the old, allowing the old road
and bridge to be used during the construction. The old road is removed
after the new road is completed. The new road eventually becomes part
of the modern northbound roadway.
A pedestrian overpass is constructed over U.S. 61 on the hill west
of Red Wing.
1988: Road widening and repaving, from the Dakota
County Line to just west of the junction with State Hwy. 316. The driving
surface is widened from 20 to 24 feet and repaved over the old concrete
pavement from 1930 (the concrete had been covered with a layer of bituminous
pavement in 1968).
1990: Repaving and other improvements on Main Street
in Red Wing. The remaining old concrete pavement (from 1953) from the
bridge over Hay Creek to East/West Avenue is finally paved over. The
intersection with Old West Main Street is reconstructed (new turn lanes,
etc.).
1993/1994 - Divided Upgrade / Reconstruction: Four-lane
upgrade and reconstruction, west from the junction with Highway 19 to
just past County Road 18 through the Cannon River Valley (plans for
this construction were not available). Three new bridges are constructed,
two for the new southbound lane over the main and south channels, and
one for the northbound lane over the main channel, replacing bridge
4993, constructed in 1931.
1996/1997 - Divided Upgrade / Reconstruction: Four-lane
upgrade and reconstruction, west from near County Road 18 in the Cannon
River Valley to the Dakota County Line. A new northbound lane is constructed
on the flat land west of the Cannon River Valley in 1996, paralleling
the old road, which is replaced in 1997 by a new southbound roadway,
constructed on the same alignment. The road on the hill on the west
side of the valley is totally rebuilt, with rock cuts required to lessen
the grade. Construction plans for the southbound lane were not available.
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Control Section Data:
Length: 14.275 Miles.
Legal Authorization: Constitutional Route 3
Fully Paved By: 1927 (Initial), 1932 (Concrete).
Paving/ Initial Development History:
- Unknown Date: Wood block paving of Plum Street from 4th to Main
Streets, and Main Street from Plum to East Avenue.
- 1920: Red Wing to State Hwy. 19.
- 1927: Oil treating, from Hwy. 19 to the Dakota County Line.
- 1931: Concrete paving, Dakota County Line to State Hwy. 316.
- 1932: Concrete paving, State Hwy. 316 to State Hwy. 19.
Divided Sections: From Old West Main Street in Red
Wing to just west of the junction with State Hwy. 316.
Divided Upgrade History:
- 1920: Main Street between Cedar and Franklin Streets in Red Wing
(center island installed in 1920, removed in 1953).
- 1953: Red Wing, from Old West Main Street to County Road 53.
- 1976: County Road 53 to Spring Creek in Red Wing.
- 1983: Spring Creek to State Hwy. 19 in Red Wing.
- 1994: State Hwy. 19 to County Road 18 west of Red Wing.
- 1997: County Road 18 to just west of State Hwy. 316.
Other Designations:
- Great River Road (east of State Hwy. 316 only).
- Disabled American Veterans Highway
NHS: South and east from the junction with State Hwy.
316.
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Junctions and Duplexes:
Current Junctions and Duplexes:
U.S. Highway 63:
1963-Present: Junction, at Main and Plum Streets, Red Wing (beginning
of duplex to Lake CIty).
1960-1963: Duplex, from Red Wing to Lake City, from junction at Plum
and 3rd Streets.
1935-1960: Duplex, from Red Wing to Lake CIty, from junction at Main
and Plum Streets.
State Highway 19:
1934-Present: Junction, just west of Red Wing.
State Highway 58:
1963-Present: Junction, at Main and Plum Streets, Red Wing
1935-1963: Junction, at Plum and 7th Streets, Red Wing
1934-1935: Duplex, on Plum Street from Main to 7th Streets
1932-1934: Junction, at Plum and 7th Streets, Red Wing
1926-1932: Junction, at Plum and 4th Streets, Red Wing
State Highway 316:
1959-Present: Junction, in Welch Township.
Historic Junctions and Duplexes:
State Highway 3:
1926-1934: Duplex. State Highway 3 is retired in the May 4, 1934 renumbering
due to redundancy with U.S. 61.
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Surviving Old Alignments:
Collischan and Cannon Bottom Roads: In the Cannon
River Valley west of Red Wing. Bypassed in 1931. Original bridges used
by U.S. 61 survive, although the southern one is closed due to a wash-out.
North and south ends of the old road are both accessible from the modern
highway. Road is mostly still gravel.
Cady Street, Red Wing: On the south side of the modern
highway on the hill west of Red Wing. Bypassed in 1939. Reconstructed
/ repaved.
North Service Drive near Tyler Road, Red Wing: Two
parts. East section is from the curve towards Tyler Road to Red Wing
Avenue. West section includes the parking lot of a bank, and the service
drive west from the curve towards Tyler Road to the first direct connection
to modern U.S. 61. Bypassed in 1952. Reconstructed / repaved.
Old West Main Street, Red Wing: Accessible from modern
U.S. 61 in downtown (connection constructed in 1953, east end of the
old alignment is a short service drive/parking lot). Old alignment ends
on the west at the cemetery west of Bench Street. Bypassed in 1952.
Reconstructed / repaved.
Plum and 7th Streets, Red Wing: South and west of
the modern highway. Bypassed in 1963. Reconstructed / repaved. Plum
Street is still part of State Hwy. 58 as well as U.S. 63 (for two blocks).
The east end of the old alignment is part of State Hwy. 292. The old
alignment ends at the entrance gates to the State Training School.
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The U.S. Highway 61 Minnesota Reference Guide
(1934-1935)** 
