Modern Highway Photos: St. Paul to Newport

September, 2006 (Page 1)

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The following series of photos were taken on a warm, late summer day as I was investigating old sections of the Point Douglas Road between St. Paul and Newport. The photos are not displayed in the order they were taken (my route was bit haphazard that day).

Looking west on Hudson Road, which runs just north of the I-94 sound-wall, towards downtown St. Paul. Note the exit sign for U.S. 61, marking where it leaves its short duplex with I-94, exiting onto Mounds Boulevard towards E 7th Street. Hudson Road at this point is actually the original alignment of U.S. 61. It was bypassed by the construction of an expressway on the site of I-94 in the late 1940's (see article here).

Looking west on 3rd Street towards the intersection with Mounds Boulevard / U.S. 61 (the Kellogg Blvd viaduct continues east to downtown). This intersection was a trunk highway junction for many years while Kellogg Boulevard was still part of the system, serving as one of the primary pre-interstate routes into downtown. It once carried State Highway 5 (~1950-1980), U.S. Highways 10 and 12 (1932-1950), and Constitutional Routes 1, 3, 12, and 45 (1932-1934). The high bridge (carrying Hwy. 149) is also visible in the distance, left. Also note the stack of the Xcel Energy power plant, demolished in 2008.

Looking south on the bridge over I-94 towards the entrance ramp to the interstate. The bridge was constructed in 1988 to replace the original, constructed in about 1966.

Eastbound on I-94. Traffic following U.S. 61 and U.S. 10 are directed to use the right two lanes.

Crossing over Johnson Parkway. This section of I-94 was completed in 1975, replacing the old U.S. 12 expressway, constructed in the late 1940's. U.S. 12 is still technically routed onto I-94, but is not marked by MnDOT.