Historic U.S. 61: Old 61 Between Scanlon and Carlton
Old 61 Between Scanlon and Carlton
Located In: City of Cloquet, Carlton County.
Bypassed: 1957
Length: 0.25 miles (none drivable).
Also Marked As:
Until 1934
A short section of old 61 exists along the west side of what is now State Highway 45 roughly half-way between Scanlon and Carlton.
View Historic U.S. Highway 61, Minnesota: Duluth to Wyoming in a larger map
Construction
The old highway here dates back to a 1946 project that modernized and widened the highway between Scanlon and Carlton on top of the original concrete highway constructed in 1924. Interestingly, this piece was constructed as a short grade revision, while the rest of the project only widened the grade and placed a new layer of asphalt.
Bypass History
The highway between Scanlon and Carlton was rebuilt yet again in 1957. A realignment here straightened the highway, and reduced the grade from 3.4 to 2.6 percent.
Current Status
Although the road still exists, it is no longer technically open to traffic - you could drive around the barriers, but the road doesn't go anywhere. It is only accessible from its north end (It is easily visible from Highway 45, see the image from google street view below).
